The Savant
by legacyZero
Summary: [AU] An attack on a young Naruto leaves his mind completely shattered, causing him to become semi autistic. However, while he may have lost something very important, he may also have gained something which may well outweigh the cost...
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I will only say this once. I do not own it.

The Savant

An AU ficlet by legacyZero

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto, aged five and a half, stared in plain horror at the dead bodies of his caretakers. He had seen the puddles of red that formed beneath their still bodies, and he knew instinctually that they were never going to move again. Ever.

Naruto choked back a sob. They had been kind enough to look after him until he could take care of himself, though they never showed him any affection or disapproval like the other parents did with their children. But it was enough at least. It was better than how the rest of the village had treated.

Then he turned to the killer, and he suddenly felt very angry. He was the one who had taken his caretakers from him. With a growl he leapt at the masked ninja, pounding futilely at the waist of the attacker. The attacker scowled, ignoring the boy on his legs. He performed a long set of seals before touching the blonde head of the child.

The boy screamed, clutching his head as if in great pain before he went limp, his bright eyes dulling quickly.

The shinobi smiled, the demon has been purged. Even if it survived that mental attack, it would be living the rest of its pitiful days as a vegetable. He turned his back, preparing to leave before an utter feeling of utmost _terror_ swept over his entire body. He took a look behind him and immediately regretted it.

The once frail and motionless boy was now radiating a power that he had no wish to see again. He had once seen the terrible power that the Kyuubi no Youkai had possessed and he could see it within the demon vessel now. The demon-possessed boy looked up, sullen blue eyes traded for a pair of angry amber which were now staring straight at him.

Slowly, a red chakra began to envelope the boy, and soon, thick ethereal tendrils of crimson began to surround the room. And then it all disappeared in a shockwave of anger and terror that the shinobi was sure that everyone within a fifty kilometre radius had surely felt. Even from here, he could hear the cries and wails of terror from the neighbours next door.

A sudden chill shook him to the core. The jutsu should have rendered the blasted demon spawn mindless, not awaken it! So occupied with his fear, the shinobi failed to realise that the boy had stood up.

"PATHETIC HUMAN."

Instead of the soft and high pitched voice of a child, he heard a unnatural and almost guttural voice, one that promised pain and death to whoever crosses its path.

"W-what?" The child- no, Kyuubi, had startled him. The jutsu should have rendered the blasted demon spawn mindless, not awaken it!

As if the demon could read minds, it spoke once more. "YOU HAVE DESTROYED HIS MIND, AND IN THAT, YOU HAVE FREED ME MOMENTARILY. FOR THAT, YOU HAVE MY GRATITUDE. HOWEVER YOU HAVE HARMED MY VESSEL AND BY EXTENSION, YOU HAVE HARMED 'ME'. AND I DO NOT SPARE THOSE WHO WISH TO DO ME HARM."

Before he could even register the words, the boy disappeared from view. It happened so fast, that the shinobi did not realise that his body was torn asunder and that he was already dead.

Knowing that the one who had hurt his vessel has been killed, the Kyuubi returned back into its prison willingly before the seals reacted to the Youkai's presence. Amber eyes slowly shifted back into lifeless blue, the boy stood there, standing in the warm entrails of the one he had killed, for as long as his legs could support him.

It would take another ten minutes before the ANBU finally came and took the boy away.

( I I I )

Never did he think that he would have to come here again.

It was 4 metres wide and 4 metres across, and the walls were painted a bright white, reinforced with numerous chakra seals and containment wards. It looked like just like any other cell which could be found in the underground ANBU facility, and one might not know that it was here where Orochimaru was held for a week or two before his grisly experiments had been found out.

Such a simple looking cell to hold one of the most notorious of missing-nins in history. But that had been a long time ago, and Sarutobi tried to suppress his disappointment, shame and anger when he thought of his once quiet prodigy.

But now, a new tenant had taken the place of his old student. One that far surpassed his genius student in terms of notoriety. Ironically, it was hard to believe that he was only five years old.

Before long, he stopped at the large and imposing metal door at the far end of the corridor, the pathway behind him sealed by an identical door of iron. Briefly, he looked at the two ANBU who were his guards for another one of his untimely visits, and he was not surprised to find that he could not discern anything from their body language. With his pipe in hand, he waved off his escort detail, who immediately stepped back as door to the cell parted to reveal the sole occupant within.

He was a small thing, with a messy blonde crop that was his hair. His cheeks were whiskered, like a feline, a gift from his 'tenant' most likely. However, his hands were bound by a straight jacket, their purpose not to prevent harm to its wearer but rather protect the medic-nins who came regular to feed the boy. But the most remarkable of his features were his eyes, which were constantly shifting from sapphire blue to angry crimson, but no matter what colour they were, they had always possessed that unfocused glint which told the world that he wasn't there. It had been 6 months ago since the attack on Uzumaki Naruto which had left two innocents and a revenge-stricken shinobi dead and his mind shattered. The Council decided it was for the village's benefit and not young Naruto's, for him to be locked away from the populace, in fear that he would become berserk.

Sarutobi found it quite cruel to hold a child in solitude for such a long time but his duty always came first before his humanity. And Naruto was unfortunately a victim of circumstance.

"Naruto-kun," The 3rd Hokage of the Leaf said, "How are you feeling today?"

Naruto didn't response nor did he take any notice to his visitors, simply opting to stare at the white bleached walls of his prison for as long as it took. Sarutobi sighed. It had been always like this for the past half a year. Sarutobi would ask a load of questions while young Naruto simply sat uninterested and seemingly trapped within his whole world. He wanted to help the boy but it was up to Naruto to decide whether or not he wanted that help.

Slowly, the boy turned his head to face the man, his eyes were as blank as the whites of the wall but Sarutobi could see a glimmer of recognition within those dead eyes. It was rare when Naruto moved on his own will and it was even rarer when he looked at you at all. And Sarutobi intended to make as much progress as he could with the Demon Vessel.

"Fine."

"That's good to hear, Naruto-kun."

He would have sentenced the fool that caused the boy to be in this state to death, if he wasn't already dead at the hands of young Uzumaki. The Medic-nins had no explanation as to why Naruto had become dead to the world. They said that it may be due to the trauma he had experienced and that it would help if someone would talk to him once in a while. Knowing that many of his shinobi would rather die than do it, he took it upon himself to visit whenever he had free time to spare.

"You have come here for a reason...what is it?" The boy rasped lightly, his voice hoarse from disuse.

Sarutobi was surprised before he brightened a bit. The boy was cunningly sharp.

"How would you like it if you could get out of here?"

Naruto looked puzzled at the question. "Out...of here?" He asked in return, trying to understand the concept of another world than the one he was currently trapped in.

"Yes," The Hokage nodded, "Fresh air, sunlight, freedom, and people-"

Naruto shook his head. "No."

"Why?"

Sapphire eyes stared at him. "People hurt me the last time."

"But you don't know that it would happen again", He pointed out, gesturing to the cell, "Surely you want freedom from this place."

Naruto stared blankly at the man.

"No. People will hurt me again." The boy's head shifted away, a move which Sarutobi recognized as dismissal from the part of Naruto.

Sarutobi frowned; even though Naruto's brain functions had been severely limited, he was not in the least dumb. It had been an improvement from the time when they first brought him in, and it is all the more that convinced him to force, if necessary, Naruto back into the world. He was also sure that the Kyuubi played no small part in the repairing of Naruto's damaged psyche, but it seemed that the damage done was not as reversible as he thought. Still, it was better than nothing. Mind jutsu were terribly tricky to heal.

"Naruto," He bent down to meet the boy on his level. "They will not hurt you again, I promise."

Pure blue eyes turned to regard him, the cog of the mind of a five year old turning ever slowly to process his words. He was telling the truth, for the record. He had made _sure_ that nobody who knew his secret could harm the boy. There was a sudden flash of crimson that Sarutobi knew, was not natural; a cunning intelligence that was lurking behind those child-like eyes, trying to discern whether or not he was telling the truth. It was disturbing, to say the least.

Then almost as fast as it came, the light vanished and the boy was fully Naruto again. "Promise?" He asked, and Sarutobi noticed that he sounded just like any other child when they were insecure about something.

Sarutobi took a good look at him; there was no emotion in his eyes, no malice, no expectations, just sparkling curiosity.

"Yes, I promise."

( I I I )

Silence reigned as the First Year Academy students sat very, very still. It was hard to believe that just seconds ago they were acting their age. Which namely consisted of crying, screaming, making an indecent amount of noise and repeating them until they either ran out of energy or until a adult came to control them.

Of course, they were aged five and a half, and had enough energy to make a Chuunin tired if not carefully monitored. Not to mention, it would take an especially skilled adult to make them compile with his demands.

And Umino Iruka was that person.

He stood in front of his appointed class, his face stern as if daring anyone to even make a peep. Deciding that he had the brats' attention, he spoke.

"Welcome to the Ninja Academy. I'm Iruka-sensei or just plain sensei if you wish. For the next six years or so, you will be learning the basics of being a ninja, and I will be here to teach you whatever you may need as you take your first steps towards the life of a shinobi."

There was a chorus of 'Hai, Iruka-sensei.'

Satisfied, he was about to roll call when a knock came from the door before it opened to reveal someone Iruka did not expect to see. The stern expression melted into a frantic one as he recognized the person at the door.

"H-Hokage-sama?"

"I just came by to deliver a new student. You wouldn't mind would you?" It wasn't uncommon for the man to bring wayward students back into the classroom, though it was a surprise in itself as the Hokage was normally busy. That being said, Iruka had noticed a small child clutching the hand of the Hokage, his hair was blonde and looked strangely familiar though Iruka could not remember where he had seen the boy. But before he could try to recall, he remembered that the Hokage was still awaiting his response.

"O-Of course not! There is enough space in the class!" He exclaimed, feeling very flustered indeed.

Still smiling, the old man, otherwise known as the most powerful ninja in the village, gently ushered in the boy. The boy didn't relent on his grip and instead held it harder, for the Hokage winced a bit before bending down to whisper something into the boy's ear. Almost immediately, he had let go and hopped towards the empty seat that Hokage pointed to. Strange child, that one was.

Iruka picked up his attendance sheet and found that the Hokage had not given the name of the boy before he had left.

"What is your name?" Iruka asked, pointing to the blonde in question. The boy was quiet for a moment, as if thinking of an appropriate answer to his question.

"Me?" The boy asked in return, his voice subdued and his face puzzled. He seemed to have trouble remembering as his cherub-like features arched into a frown. Iruka was beginning to find him quite strange indeed. Finally, after a long pause, he spoke. "I'm Naruto, or that's what everyone seems to call me."

Iruka blinked.

Then he saw the whisker marks on each side of his cheek, and froze.

The boy was the vessel for the Kyuubi no Youkai.

* * *

A/N: Well this is sort of a experiment for me, in both idea and story style so I would appreciate any feedback I can get. Unbeta-ed, may contain possible errors so on and so forth. 


	2. Chapter 2

Haruno Sakura was a quiet child with bubblegum-colored hair and sparkling emerald eyes. Dressed in that overly cute and adorable red dress of hers that screamed cuteness, she was often the epitome of what parents called 'The Perfect Child.'

Quiet, Obedient, and Refined.

And that was what she was; little Miss Perfect.

It also didn't sully the fact that she was also one of the top kuniochi of the year at the Genin Academy. Yes, perfect child indeed.

However, contrary to popular belief, she _wasn't_ perfect.

She too could hold grudges and prejudices just as well, if not more, all because she was the victim of various scathing remarks for being such a perfect child. So yes, the truth is that Haruno Sakura was like the others. Imperfect

Like the others, she had developed a certain degree of caution towards one Uzumaki Naruto, class recluse and drop-out. There were many rumors about the boy among the students, ranging from the possibly true story of how his whisker-marks were a punishment from the adults for doing something so horrible that none even spoke about it, to the one that said he had been retained at the Genin academy for as long as anyone remembered.

Now, that had to be a lie. Naruto was the same age as them!

Sakura would have snorted, if it weren't for the fact that snorting would be extremely unlady-like, which was definitely a no-no if she wished for Sasuke-kun to like her.

"Haruno, Sakura!"

She was shaken from her thoughts as her name was called out. Daintily, she walked up in front of the Mizuki-sensei and Iruka-sensei who sat behind grading panel upon which held the shiny head bands that signified one as a ninja of the Leaf.

"Begin at your discretion, if you please." Iruka-sensei said.

Sakura focused her thoughts for a moment, before forming the first and only seal of the Bunshin no Jutsu. A poof of smoke later, revealed three perfect replicas of herself.

"Good. You passed."

Another poof of smoke later revealed a triumphant Sakura who eagerly accepted the hitai-ate that was handed to her. Within a moment, she retreated back to the line which formed at the side of the class.

"Uzumaki, Naruto!"

Her thoughts were not out of pity however as she watched the boy in question perform.

It didn't take a genius to figure out what would happen next. As always.

_Naruto will fail. _

( I I I )

Iruka sighed as he watched Naurto stumble on the simplest of academy taught jutsu. Every one of his student had been able to at least to create a simple clone of themselves but Naruto had been the odd exception. Instead of a trio of clones, all Naruto managed to do was create a clone whose features were so horribly distorted that even the most oblivious of people could tell the difference. Even then, the jutsu lasted only a sparse second or so before being dispelled.

And that was definitely _not_ what counted as a passable effort.

He watched as the boy tried to force more chakra into the jutsu, the azure life energy burning his flesh as it escaped through the pores of his skin.

Iruka bit back a sigh; while he acknowledged that Naruto's efforts were commendable, it just wasn't enough to pass the graduation exam. Before Naruto could further burn out his chakra system, Iruka called out for him to stop. "Naruto, that would be enough. Take your place in the queue."

At this, snickers emerged from the line of students that formed at the side of the classroom. The blonde boy ignored them and took his place among them, his face impassive through it all, though Iruka noticed a small crack at the stony façade in the most untalented one of his students.

In all the seven years that he had taught Naruto, he had _never_ seen the boy smile, cry or do anything expressive that was connected with childhood. And in that, he had learnt to read Naruto through his body language but even that proved somewhat ineffective should Naruto wish not to be read.

"Perhaps, he should pass, Iruka-sensei," Mizuki, who sat on his left commented, "After all, he _did _manage to conjure a clone which was somewhat -"

"No," He said rather firmly, "The rest of the class managed it well enough, and it wouldn't be fair if we should let him pass just out of pity." The words were loud enough to be heard by everyone and he flinched slightly.

Despite the fact that the boy was the vessel for the demon, Iruka regretted those words no matter how much truth it held. Some things were just better left unsaid. Tentatively, he took a small glance at the boy

Naruto noticed this and his features became even more impassive, if that was even possible at all.

( I I I )

He sat on the roof top of one of the nearby buildings near the Academy, idly dangling his legs over the ledge with little regard for safety. He was more concerned with the recent turn of events than anything else actually.

He had failed the Genin Exam. Again. Seventh time, if he bothered to think about it.

It wasn't fair, he decided.

After all, he did what the examiners had told him to do; change into someone that he wasn't. And he remembered the entire curriculum to the very letter.

Were they not satisfied with his effort?

And why were they not in the first place?

He was puzzled, the answers not coming to him as they would have at any other time. He had spent the better part of the last seven years doing what was required of him at the Academy and all of it would become wasted effort if this kept up.

And if there was one thing that Uzumaki Naruto didn't like, it was not knowing answers.

"Oi, Naruto-kun!" A voice called out to him. Mizuki-sensei, Naruto recognized at once. He turned to see the Chunnin grinning at him. Naruto creased a frown; there was something about Mizuki-sensei that always managed to irk him. It didn't help that the man was constantly smiling a grin or two every time. Naruto had learnt the hard way that smiles were often only skin-deep.

The Voice growled its discontent at the man. Naruto blinked; it was quite seldom for The Voice to speak to him, if not at all, and he welcomed it whenever it voiced its presence in his head. The Voice had always been with him and for as long as he could remember, it had protected him.

'**I WOULD NOT TRUST THAT SMELLY EXCUSE OF A HUMAN, IF I WERE YOU...'**

Almost instinctively, he asked the voice in his head why. It didn't answer however, and he prepared to ask once again when someone called out his name.

"Naruto-kun?"

He frowned; didn't they know that he was talking to The Voice?

"Is there anything the matter, Mizuki-sensei?" He asked in a subdued voice, though he was also curious as to what the Chuunin had to say.

Mizuki took the opportunity to look sheepish. "Sorry about not passing you. Don't pay Iruka-sensei any mind, Naruto-kun, he was just being stiff," He said, ruffling the boy's already messy blonde hair.

He frowned; he didn't like people touching him. It had reminded him of forgotten things which best stayed forgotten.

"I would appreciate it if you stopped touching me." Naruto said immediately, before pausing to add, "Mizuki-sensei." Within that brief moment, he caught something out of place within the cheery Chuunin's eye, a gleam that was familiar and yet foreign to him. However, it passed quickly and the bright-eyed Chuunin teacher removed the offending hand away from Naruto.

"Of course, Naruto-kun," Mizuki said, settling his hands into the pockets of his pants, "Say, would you like another try at passing the Genin Exam?"

Naruto snapped his head up instantly, eyes filled with curiosity and attentiveness.

Mizuki smiled, a dark glint appearing in his eyes.

( I I I )

Dusk had fallen over the Hidden Village of Konoha and its habitants were already tucked into their warm beds dreaming of what the future may bring to them. However, there was one who was still awake at this time of the night.

_Now where was the Hokage's house again?_

He spotted a particular house which stood out from the rest, with its overly circular shape and bright red _Fire_ kanji painted across it.

Instead of sneaking in, he settled himself on the roof, his hands languidly forming a long set of seals. Completing the last of the seals, he placed his hands onto tiles and _poof_.

A small little fox '_poofed'_ into existence, its three tails coiled sinuously around itself. It was clearly enjoying its sleep. That is, until Naruto prodded a finger at its soft furry underbelly.

It jerked up from its sleep, yipping at the sudden unpleasant prod before looking around for the culprit. It caught sight of Naruto and growled, before yawning.

The little fox rubbed its face tiredly with its small paws before it looked up regarding the boy who summoned it with eyes that said, 'Give-me-one-reason-why-I-shouldn't-nibble-your-pinky-to-hell'.

If Naruto was fazed, he didn't show it. "I need your help in getting something."

Amber eyes glared at Azure ones.

He understood what the kit wanted to say to. _Hell no, I need my beauty sleep you stupid human. _Which was pretty much what the fox was telling with its very expressive eyes right now.

"I will get you some fresh meat the next time I summon you."

Almost instantly, the little kitsune looked up at the boy, golden eyes wide with anticipation, complete with fluffy tails swishing around cutely. He let a small smile play over his lips. Little kitsune were easy to control if you knew what they liked. This one was his favorite in particular; it wasn't as snappish like the rest of its kin and it was also quite receptive towards him.

The Voice had taught him this jutsu, when he was feeling lonely playing with himself, with a explicit warning to _never_ show anyone that trick for as long as he lived. He had asked why though, but he never did get a straight answer from The Voice, which irked him to no end.

Pushing his thoughts aside, Naruto looked at the fox.

"So, Little one, do you know what to do?"

The kitsune bobbed its head in confirmation before disappearing in a flash of smoke.

( I I I )

_Clang!_

Sarutobi frowned, putting away his scroll until a later time. For now, he had to investigate where the noise had come from. It wouldn't do for the Hokage of the Leaf to be caught unawares by an intruder.

Taking a turn from the corridor to the scroll room, he saw a brief flash of a crimson tail before it disappeared into the door. A kitsune, he thought. If anything, his interest had been piqued. There was nothing of value in that room, save for the scroll of seals-

Eye widening, Sarutobi rushed towards the room, to find it not only empty of any persons but also bereft of large scroll which contained almost, if not all, of Konoha's kinjutsu.

There was only one who he knew had a contract with kitsune and things did not look good for young Naruto.

( I I I )

Somewhere in the woodlands inside of the village, two silhouettes were highlighted by the pristine light of the moon high above. One belonged to a fox while the other, a small human boy. If there were any to witness the scene, they would have found it strange, for no foxes were ever seen willingly with a human. This one seemed to be an exception to the rule however.

The kitsune preened, throwing a diminutive paw over its prize as it looked at the human with what seemed like smugness in its eyes.

"Thank you, Little Kitsune, I will be sure to get you your treat next time," He said softly, scratching the back of the fox's ear gently. The fox acquiesced and yipped playfully in response before vanishing in a thick puff of smoke, leaving the large scroll against the tree trunk.

Naruto opened the large scroll, his eager eyes scanning its contents.

_Let's see, the first jutsu is Kage Bunshin…_

It seemed simple enough, being a variation of the Bunshin no jutsu and all it needed was just a little more chakra than normal.

A moment later, he was staring at a perfect replica of himself and he felt a tug of satisfaction when the clone didn't disappear soon after. He dismissed the clone, before turning his attention back to the scroll.

_Let's see, the next skill is…_

( I I I )

Looking into his crystal ball, Sarutobi, 3rd Hokage of Konoha, could not help but feel…worried.

While the active ninjas who have responded to his call were adequately skilled for the task, he was more concerned about Naruto. How the boy managed to learn of the Scroll of Seals was a complete mystery to him.

Most would believe the boy to be a complete failure, though many do not know that he has been mentally crippled. Even then, he was more perspective than those at his age, and had an almost insatiable thirst for knowledge. But that was not all that Naruto possessed; he also had a keen understanding of anything jutsu-related and had a memory unlike any other he had seen before.

Naruto had the ability to memorize virtually anything, be it the entire inventory of a grocery store to the amount of people that passes him by everyday. Or in this case, hand seals. The only reason why he failed the Genin Exam so many times was because he had memorized a set of seals belonging to the Bunshin no Jutsu which had been shown incorrectly, hence Naruto's failure to conjure anything which could qualify as a proper Bunshin. If there had been a system where learning was aided by manuals, he believed that Naruto could have graduated earlier on as a prodigy.

Shinobi did not have manuals for jutsu, often teaching the new generation by word of mouth, which was far better than having physical instructions for ninjutsu because of numerous reasons, namely the stealing of a village's secrets by outsiders. What manuals or scrolls that existed usually contained jutsu which were often highly prized or forbidden in nature, and were kept from public knowledge.

But alas, there wasn't such a system in the whole of the Continent, lest village secrets be far more easily to be stolen or copied by undesirables.

Naruto hadn't been able to obtain a set of clear instructions to learn from, and for that it resulted in ridicule and scorn from everybody.

That is, until now.

And the Scroll of Seals was as potent as you can get in the area of kinjutsu. Many of the techniques sealed within it were either offensive in nature or demanded some sort of sacrifice to be used.

Among those sealed within that scroll was the Shiki Fuunin technique the Forth had used to seal the Kyuubi into Naruto. It was also one of the last techniques to be listed in that scroll and for that, Sarutobi was thankful.

Watching Naruto practically breeze past the application of the Shadow Clone technique at a frightening pace, he prayed that they found him before anything untoward happened.

( I I I )

He was dirty.

He was tired.

But he was almost at the end of the scroll.

The Kage Bunshin had been the easiest to perform, after all.

Most of the others techniques within the scroll had been quite challenging to perform, most either requiring more time for him to grasp its concept or had a particularly heavy drain on chakra to use. And sometimes, they were both, forcing him to exercise more patience than he would have liked. In the end, however, he managed to master them all with confidence that he could us them in the future should it be called for.

There was one last jutsu that was left, one more to be learnt before he could become a Genin. As his fingers were just about to unravel the next section which contained the last jutsu, a voice called out to him. One that he recognized instantly as Iruka-sensei.

Gingerly, he rolled up the scroll, before fastening it to his back as he waited patiently for his teacher to approach him.

( I I I )

"Naruto!" The Chuunin shouted again as he spotted the blonde hunched over the Scroll of Seals. "What in the gods possessed you to steal the Scroll of Seals from the Hokage-sama? You do know how much trouble you are in now!"

Naruto looked confused. "Mizuki-sensei said that if I performed all of these jutsu in there," At this, he pointed to the large scroll on his back. "I would be able to become a Genin."

"Mizuki did!" Iruka stuttered, putting the two together. His stomach churned. Mizuki was after the Scroll himself. This was bad, he had to hide Naruto, along with the Scroll quickly…

_If he knew that Naruto was here-_

WHOOSH!

Kunai whizzed past him, managing to pin him onto a nearby tree.

As if on cue, a deep voice echoed throughout the surrounding woodland.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Iruka?"

Iruka froze.

"Oi, brat," Mizuki called out to Naruto, "Pass me the Scroll."

"Why should I?" Iruka heard the boy ask in response.

Mizuki curled up his mouth in disgust. "Because there's no point in you having it, I guess I will have to tell you the truth…"

He unfroze from his shock. "No!" Iruka yelled. "He's not supposed to know!"

If it was possible, Mizuki's face turned even more gleeful than it already was.

"Don't you know, Naruto-kun?" Mizuki asked mockingly. "You're the demon which killed Iruka's parents, Kyuubi no Youkai!"

( I I I )

Demon? He frowned at Mizuki's words.

He did not know of any demon that existed within him. And if it did, he would be the first to know...right?

He yelled within the confines of his mind, hoping for The Voice to appear once again.

'**_WHAT IS IT, BOY?'_**

'Is there a demon within me?' At this, The Voice chuckled, and Naruto became confused. 'Why are you laughing?'

The Voice ignored him. '**_WHAT IS ITS NAME?'_**

'Kyuubi no Youkai.' Naruto responded honestly.

The Voice chuckled louder, before speaking. '**_BOY, I WILL TELL YOU SOMETHING…I'M THE KYUUBI'_**

The Voice was the Kyuubi? Somehow, Naruto could not associate The Voice with the rampageous demon that was the Kyuubi, and for good reason. The Voice helped him when nobody else would have, answered when others ignored him. How could The Voice which he had known for as long as he could be…a demon, an entity of destruction and chaos when it did otherwise?

'I do not understand.' He voiced out his thoughts.

The Voice, or rather Kyuubi frowned, though he felt rather than saw it. '**_KIT, YOU ALMOST ALWAYS DON'T UNDERSTAND.'_**

But before, he could ask another question, a shout of pain reminded him of the real world.

He looked up and saw Iruka hovering over him, his Chuunin jacket stained with dark motley spots of blood. Tears were streaking down his face as Iruka struggled to speak. "Naruto…You must have been in a lot of pain too…"

The scene was disturbingly familiar, with blood, pain and death as its centre piece. There was a flash and he remembered. The screaming, the searing heat within his head and the pain, lots of pain. The memories were pounding his mind, after so much time of repression.

Stifling back a cry, Naruto looked up, past Iruka's large frame, to see Mizuki preparing another attack, one that would make sure that Iruka would become as still as his foster parents had become.

Naruto abhorred violence, hated how people liked to pick on others less fortunate than themselves. Though he didn't like to be the one who threw the first punch, neither would he just take it, especially not from those who had every intention to cause pain.

It was a split second decision that he had to make, and he chose. The last time someone tried to harmed him, he was unprepared. This time, however, it will be different.

Forming his hands into a familiar seal, he murmured softly, "_Kage Bunshin no jutsu_."

( I I I )

The battle was over before it even started.

Mizuki now lay half dead and unconscious from the punches the multiple shadow clones had given him. All the while, Iruka sat speechless. How was it possible for a boy who can't even get a simple _bunshin _corporeal, manage to perfect, much less perform, a highly advanced variation of it? It was surreal.

"Naruto...I think you overdid it…" Iruka managed to gasp out, the wound in his back forcing him to wince.

The boy tilted his head, eyes holding genuine puzzlement and innocence. "He was going to hurt you." And he said it with such conviction that Iruka could not muster up any blame for the boy.

Whatever doubts that Iruka had about Naruto vanished almost completely. There was no way Naruto could be the Kyuubi, not after what was said and done. "But still, you shouldn't do that!" He winced, the pain which had been forgotten a moment ago coming back at full force.

Naruto looked at Iruka and said, "Turn over."

Iruka blinked. "W-What?"

The whisker-marked boy frowned. "I know some medical jutsu, and it would be best if I could see the wound to treat it."

Iruka gave the boy a wary look and rightly so. Academy students don't just know medical ninjutsu out of the blue.

As if sensing his question, Naruto quickly supplied an answer, "I learnt it from the scroll." There was something about his tone that told Iruka that Naruto was hiding something, but he would accept it for now..

"...I see." If Naruto's flawless execution of the Kage Bunshin was anything to go by, he was sure that it would be all right. Or he hoped so.

Naruto nodded, before turning his attention to the wound. Silence reigned as the boy worked on his back, with the occasional hum of energy to disturb the stillness. The pain faded until it was nothing but a prick in the back of his mind.

"I'm finished." Naruto announced, and Iruka turned back just in time to see the boy's glowing hands revert back to normal.

"So..."

Iruka blinked. "Yes?"

Blue eyes looked at him expectantly. "Do I pass?"

Iruka blinked, before letting out a throaty laugh, which made the pain come back though he couldn't care less right now. Trust Naruto to say the most strangest of things in the most inappropriate of times. Wordlessly, he untied his own hitai-ate and pressed it into Naruto's hands.

He finally acknowledged Naruto as one of his beloved students.

"Yes, Naruto," He said, a smile on his face, "You passed."

* * *

A/N: To be perfectly honest, I got the next chapter ready for tommorrow; it justs needs a little touch up. Though don't expect any more 'fast' updates because I spent the better part of the week writing about 10,000 words and I'm really quite unreliable when pressured. To those wondering about Naruto, I will just say one thing, he's a _savant_. Which means he's really good in one thing but when it comes to real-like interaction he tends to be off in his own little world, it might not seem like that now but it will be in later chapters. For further information, google 'Savants'.Many thanks to those who have reviewed.

Unbeta-ed, may contain possible errors.


	3. Chapter 3

"Blah" denotes speech.

_Blah! _denotes sound.

'_Blah'_ denotes thoughts.

'**BLAH**' denotes Demon talking.

* * *

Sarutobi brought young Naruto out for Ramen, his treat of course. He had discovered early on that the boy had one thing that remained constant in his life, and that was his love for Ramen. Sarutobi had once tried to introduce healthier foods to the boy, but Naruto was adamant that Ramen was still the best _and_ healthiest food of them all. 

Suffice to say, the 3rd Hokage of the Leaf found, to his horror, that his taste in food had gradually became inclined to Misao flavoured Ramen despite what the medic-nins had to say about a balanced diet.

Still, he regularly invited Naruto for ramen, despite the protests from his doctors. His treat still, of course.

But this little trip to Ichikaru was not purely pleasure only.

Naruto was on his fifth bowl when he asked the question.

"Naruto," Sarutobi said suddenly, gaining the boy's attention. "Did you learn every technique in the Scroll?"

"No," The boy shook his head, "I got to the second last one before Iruka-sensei found me."

"Naruto, those jutsu you learnt," The Hokage's voice turned grave, "Promise me that you will NEVER use them unless you're in an emergency and even then, exercise restraint when using them."

Naruto gave the Sandaime his usual look of puzzlement, failing to comprehend his situation. "Why?"

"Those jutsu only cause pain to others, and I would not wish to see it be used for anything other than protecting the ones that are precious to you." He had learnt a bit of Naruto's complex for protecting people during these 'Ramen Excursions', as he liked to called them, and he was glad to know that the boy was thoughtful enough to give people who were strangers the benefit of doubt. Even though the environment he had grew up in was less than amicable to him. It made it much easier to prevent Naruto from doing anything he would later regret.

"Can I use the Kage Bunshin then?" The boy asked almost immediately and Sarutobi pondered for a moment. While the Kage Bushin was a Jounin technique, nothing prevented lower ranked shinobi from using it, save for the prohibitive chakra requirements. Besides, it was one of the few techniques in the scroll that did not cause destruction on a large scale and Sarutobi was willing to relax the rules in this case.

"Yes, you may." He answered, "Though I suggest you keep that fact to yourself."

"What about the healing jutsu? It helped Iruka-sensei. I don't see how it hurts other people."

"Ah," Sarutobi said a bit more cheerfully, breaking the growing gloom in the atmosphere, "You can use that though I suggest you use it sparingly like the rest. You felt a terrible strain when you used it, did you not?"

The only non-offensive jutsu was the Scroll of Seals had been a high level medical jutsu created by his now wayward student, Tsunade. It was capable of healing the most grievous of wounds though it demanded a great deal of chakra from the user; an amount that very few had to capability to give. It had been labeled a kinjutsu when it took the life of the fifth medic-nin who tried to use it. Naruto nodded at this before turning his attention to the sinfully delicious noodles.

"Wait!" He cried out suddenly, surprising both cook and himself, "That means that I have no jutsu to use!"

Sarutobi sighed, reaching into his robes to pull out a bundled scroll. "I have already thought about that, so I have written for you a instruction manual of basic Genin techniques that you should already know. Burn it once you finish memorizing them."

The boy accepted it before tucking it into one of his pockets. He paused for a moment, taking the time to slur up his noodles. "I promise you that I wouldn't use those jutsu freely, but on one condition…"

"What is it then?"

There was a large and rare smile on the boy's lips. "I want another five bowls of ramen!"

Sarutobi held back a groan; sometimes he forgot how much Naruto could eat ramen when he wanted to.

( I I I )

Nara Shikamaru was bored out of his mind, as he waited for Iruka-sensei to come in. Since today was the day where the Genins were to be assigned into their teams, they were allowed to come later as both the teachers and their prospective Jounin-senseis to be were preparing the team assignments.

'_I should've flunked the exam like Naruto…'_ He thought. That way he wouldn't have to put up with his mother's incessant nagging for him to wake up every fricking morning.

The boy in question was not present, which was natural considering that he failed the test. A pity really, he was hoping that Naruto would be placed on the same team as he was, along with Chouji. After all, he preferred to have his _shogi_ partner nearby when he wanted to play his favorite game.

Deciding not to waste precious time thinking, Shikamaru opted to drop his head into his arms for a quick nap. After a minute or so, there was a loud gasp of surprise and he woke up. He saw someone take the free seat next to him, wearing heinously bright orange.

"Eh? Naruto?" Shikamaru squinted, his vision blurry. There was something different about this Naruto...Ah! He had a hitai-ate, he realized at last.

Normally, Shikamaru did not ask questions that he already knew the answers to, but he wanted to make sure the boy in front of him wasn't a hallucination. "So you passed?"

"Yeah."

Looking around, he saw a lot of his classmates sharing the same incredulous looks as they stared at Naruto. He would be doing the same too, if it wasn't so damn troublesome.

"So same time, same place today?" The boy asked, and Shikamaru turned his attention back onto him once more. "Yeah, and bring a few cups of Ramen for me and Chouji. I got a feeling that the game is going to take quite a while." He uttered back lazily. It had been quite a while since their last 'epic' match and he had a feeling that this match would probably be the only one he would be playing for a long while because of new ninja…_responsibilities_.

God, how he hated that word.

Naruto nodded silently, just as Iruka-sensei walked into the room.

"Okay, everyone, listen up!" The man yelled, ceasing all conversations between the students. "I will now begin to read out your Team assignments. Your Jounin-Sensei will be coming to pick you all up soon. Team 1…"

This continued for several minutes, and soon the class population dwindled down to a few, the rest having been picked up by their respective Jounin-sensei. Those who were still in the room were Naruto, Shikamaru, Ino, Sakura, Chouji and Sasuke. The pine-apple haired boy was fervently hoping that Ino wasn't going to be on his team. She had nagged and grumbled about him almost as much as his mother had done.

But of course, calling upon miracles wasn't his specialty.

"Next, Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouji and Yamanaka Ino!"

Shikamaru groaned, slapping a palm to his forehead. He turned to Ino, who was shocked. She noticed his gaze and gave a look which demanded total obedience from him, or else there would be hell to pay, especially on his part. He had known that Ino was pinning after the Uchiha and was utterly upset that she was paired up with her child-hood friends. Not that the status mattered much, he dryly noted, seeing that Ino was perfectly fine with using extreme methods to get things the way she wants. Especially with her so called 'friends'.

'_Maybe I should've failed that test.' _Shikamaru thought, eyeing the glaring girl nervously, '_Girls can be so troublesome…'_

( I I I )

They waited for half an hour, two hours, and then Iruka-sensei had to go back to do some paperwork which was due in by the evening. Finally, the clock hand turned.

_Ding!_

As it now stands, they had waited for three hours, a new record in tardiness for the new and apparently anonymous Jounin-Sensei.

Suffice to say, Uchiha Sasuke was _not_ amused.

After seeing that his 'team-mates' consisted of a dead last drop out who, by some form of divine intervention, managed to pass and a seriously annoying kunoichi who kept gushing over him, Sasuke had serious doubts to their abilities.

Letting himself be objective once more, he tried to find at least some redeemable qualities in the pink-haired girl. After another minute of silent stares from her part, Sasuke gave up trying.

But unlike the shallow perception he had on Haruno, he found Uzumaki to be quite a strange one. Ever since his first days in the Academy, he had seen Naruto be a recluse, a lone wolf, just like himself. But that was where the similarities between them ended. Sasuke had been the top student in the class whereas Naruto was dead last. Academically, he scored quite high for the written exams but his success failed to be carried over into the practical side of things. Other than the abnormally large amount of chakra that the boy possessed, Sasuke could not see anything noteworthy about him that could make him into an average ninja.

In any case, he would have to wait and see whether these 'team-mates' of his were going to be hindrances to his…goal.

( I I I )

Sakura could not feel any better even if she tried.

Sasuke-kun was on her team! The thought sent a shiver of excitement down her spine.

Tentatively, she spared a glance at the brooding boy's façade and almost squealed.

'_Sasuke-kun is soooo cool!' _She thought, as she began staring at her Sasuke-kun once more.

'_HELL YEAH!' _Inner Sakura added her opinion.

She was, however, quite put off that their Jounin-sensei has yet to show up. What kind of teacher would willing let their students wait for an ungodly amount of time before showing up, if not at all. A lousy one if this was anything to go by.

Forgetting about her precious Sasuke-kun for a moment, her thoughts turned to the other member of their team, and she was a bit puzzled. From what she had seen yesterday, Naruto was not able to pass the standardized test. And if so, why was he allowed to graduate?

It irked her to no end that there was another person paired with her, but she dare not voice her opinion to the quiet and mysterious boy. Even though he had been the ridicule of the whole class, many had done so out of apprehension of the boy, and they had found it easier to use laughter to deal with that unnatural fear. And they found many things unsettling about him. For one, Naruto had a stare which left many on the receiving end feeling as if they were exposed for the whole world to see. She too received one of his stares and it unnerved her greatly. He was also very silent in class, often the only people he spoke to on a regular basis were Shikamaru and Chouji, and even that was rare. But what was most disturbing about him was that look of impassiveness he always had, never changing and always there, looking as if nothing truly mattered.

And truth to be told, like the rest of her former class-mates, she was afraid of Naruto.

Not that she will ever admit it.

( I I I )

Naruto frowned. It had been three hours since the last batch of students have left, leaving him along with his new team-mates. He was never particular close to his class-mates though, barring Shikamaru and Chouji, both of whom were cloud watching companions and the occasional _shogi_ partner.

To start it off simply, he knew that Sakura had graduated with top honors as the best Kunoichi. He also knew that Sasuke had come in first with the highest marks in the whole class, whereas he scored the lowest, a contrast between the two. He was not bothered by it however, like many other things in his life, he accepted it and tried to make do in best way he could.

Unlike the rest of his fellow ninjas, Naruto did not wish to strive for greatness. And for a long time, he only wished to experience what it was like to be in the outside world after experiencing the dull monotony in his cell back in the deep corners of the ANBU.

Kyuubi, had resented being trapped in that cell and explicitly forbade him from ever entering there again. He had read up on the history of the demon which was sealed within him, often sneaking into the public library to read, but it did not explain its desire for freedom. It had once told him that it was a Kitsune, and he made use of this knowledge as he researched it. It was then he realized that freedom was essential to them, and they hated cages simply because it takes away freedom of choice.

He wondered whether the Kyuubi hated him, as he was a cage to bind him after all. As if on cue, the demon in question spoke out.

'**_YOU ARE VERY PATIENT FOR ONE YOUR AGE.'_**

Naruto blinked, before frowning. 'Am I not?'

'**_COMPARED TO YOU, THE REST OF YOUR KIND ARE LIKE OVER EAGER MUD-RATS.'_**

At this, Naruto could have sworn that the Kyuubi was smirking, and decided it was as good a time as any to ask his question.

'_Kyuubi…you do hate me for holding you?'_ He found the name foreign and unfitting for the presence which had been unnamed for so long within his mind. It gave a sense of realization that the voice was not just a part of him but rather something that he would never understand. And he was afraid of what he could not understand.

The demon didn't answer and it was at that moment, the door to the classroom opened and a grey-haired head popped in. His face was concealed by a face-mask while his hitai-ate covered his left eye.

"Ara, are you guys my new students?" He said with a hint of good cheer. Naruto suspected that this wouldn't be the last time the man would be late.

Naruto stared at him along with Sasuke and Sakura. Their faces were much less calmer than his; Sakura had a severe glare directed at the masked man who was now apparently their sensei and though Sasuke was a little less obvious in showing his discontentment but anyone with half a brain could tell from his stare. It seemed that patience was not their strong suit, he noted.

Their still unnamed teacher sweat-dropped.

"Perhaps we should go to the roof..."

( I I I )

Kakashi watched as his new team made themselves comfortable. He took this opportunity to evaluate them.

'_Let's see…we've the silent type, brooding boy and the fan-girl. Cherry Pink this time. Wow, I always get the weird ones huh.'_

Finished with his half-hearted examination, he cleared his throat before beginning to speak.

"Anyway, the name's Hatake Kakashi. I have no desire whatsoever to tell you guys what I like or dislike. My dreams for future...? I can't really tell you guys but what you can know is that I have many hobbies..."

He ignored the looks of disbelief and irritation at his blatant attempt at secrecy. If they wished to know more about him, they should work for it, not wait for it to be handed on a silver platter.

Taking advantage of their shock, he started. "You there. Name, hobbies, likes, dislikes, dreams for the future. Whatever." He pointed Sakura who was startled out of her staring. Narrowing his only visible eye slightly, he noted that the girl at this age was probably more concerned about love than the practical stuff that compasses a ninja's life. He shrugged. That would have to change. IF they pass his little test. that is.

"Well, I'm Haruno Sakura and my dream is…" She broke off, her eyes averting from the ground to the oblivious raven-haired boy who sat nearby. The girl did the same thing with every sub-catalog he had given except for the 'Dislikes' part. She was blushing quite badly by the end of it.

'_Is she actually serious about becoming a shinobi?'_ Kakashi set his lips into a grimace, though it wasn't visible to them; one of the advantages of a face mask, he supposed.

"Ok, what about you, the one on the left?" He pointed to the raven-haired boy who Sakura was drooling over. Kakashi noted that the boy's face was set as if permanently in a frown, which was always bad in the long run. Children were supposed to act like children and let life run its course. Not one of those 'Grown Up' children he had seen before had lasted long. "Any hobbies, likes, dislikes or dreams?"

Kakashi reckoned that the boy was going for a full frown this time, and judging from what he read up on the boy, he expected it.

He wasn't disappointed, as he idly listened to the angst ridden rant until Sasuke came onto the part he was half-dreading or awaiting, depending on one's point of view.

"I cannot call it a dream, no, my ambition, is to revive my dead clan, and," Sasuke declared, his hands folded in front of him which muffled his voice, "And to kill a _certain_ man." Kakashi didn't need to guess who the boy was referring to. He nodded faintly, before turning to the last of the group.

"What about you?"

The boy stalled for a moment. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I dislike pain and suffering. And I like ramen." Kakashi waited for a moment before realizing that he was finished.

He frowned. Out of all of his students, Naruto's past has been the most obscured and there were many a discrepancy within what records that were not forbidden. And from what he could see, Naruto was someone who had plenty of hidden secrets. Well, looks like time will tell if he manages to find out anyone of them.

"Ok, that will be all for today. Meet me tomorrow at Training Field 7 at nine'o clock tomorrow, and don't eat breakfast either." Kakashi glanced at his watch. "You will throw up. It's survival training so bring all your tools too. Team dismissed."

( I I I )

"Your move." Shikamaru said, before taking a sip at his can of green tea. This time victory will be his!

_Clank_!

"Naruto," He sighed, "I really, _really_ hate you." Or not.

The blonde in question merely raised an eyebrow. "Duly noted." They were at their cloud-gazing spot, far enough from anybody who would disturb them but close enough to go back once their done relaxing or in this case, playing. It was late in the afternoon and air was cool enough for them to play comfortably in the open.

_Clank_!

"Really, sometimes I wonder how you think of all your moves," The pineapple boy said, resting his elbows on the wooden box the shogi set was on, "I suspect that you've some sort of mind-reading jutsu, like Ino."

"Anyone could do it," He quietly said, his fingers directing another one of his pieces, "All I needed to do was pre-empt whatever you want to start."

_Clank_!

Chouji sat nearby, trying to make heads and tails of what is happening on the board before he gave up and began slurping up his noodles with a wet flourish. Hoping to avert the conversation from shoji, he spoke, "Neh, Naruto, how's your sensei?"

_Clank_!

Naruto frowned. "I'm starting to think that he has a chronic illness for tardiness. Lazy person I gather, no offense, Shikamaru." The boy muttered something which suspiciously sounded like 'None taken'.

_Clank_!

"How's yours?" Naruto asked out of politeness, eyeing Shikamaru's encroaching pieces without pause.

"He's okay, though Chouji and I will have to see what he does in the future,"

_Clank_!

"Ah."

_Clank_!

He let a ghost of a smile grace his lips.

"Otedzume." Checkmate.

Shikamaru groaned.

( I I I )

They arrived at the designated time the next day, to find the spot empty and missing one grey-haired Jounin-sensei. Left with no choice, they waited, waited, and waited. Naruto was silent as usual, lost in his thoughts. Sakura was trying to chat up Sasuke though her attempts were met with almost outright refusal. She stopped trying after an hour or so and retreated to a shady spot under a nearby tree.

Time passed once more and it was a quarter to eleven when Sasuke had enough of waiting. He could spend his valuable time by training than sitting around and doing nothing at all. Vastly annoyed, he glanced at his team-mates. An idea suddenly struck him.

"Oi, Uzumaki!" Sasuke called suddenly, standing up to face the blonde. He wanted to find out how good the boy was, no matter what the scores had said. He wouldn't hurt him _too_ bad. Sakura was just too weak for him, and besides she was a girl. "Want to spar?" He asked with a casual arrogance in his voice.

Naruto looked a bit confused at the request, before standing up himself. "Isn't it best to conserve our strength?" He asked, face betraying only puzzlement.

Sasuke scowled, his irritation at the current situation besting him. "That man whom we call _teacher_," he spat out the last word with annoyance, "Is still not here yet. Besides it's going to be Taijutsu only."

Naruto stood silent for a while before turning away from the Uchiha. "I feel that fighting now is unnecessary, Uchiha-san." Sasuke felt anger at the casual brush off.

"Don't you dare turn your back on me!" He rushed at Naruto, a fist raised to strike the boy. Naruto just side-stepped, grabbing the fist and an elbow for good measure before tossing the Uchiha at a tree. Sasuke stopped himself from crashing, landing with as much finesse as he could. He smirked.

"Better, Uzumaki." At this, Naruto frowned, dark eyes staring at him.

"I have no wish to hurt you." Naruto said quietly, his feet settling into a basic defensive tai-jutsu stance that was taught at the Academy.

"Don't worry; you won't," He said before charging once more. The pair exchanged blows and counters, neither of them getting pass each other's defenses.

'_For one who's been a dead last, he's not bad…' _

'_But not good enough,'_ He thought, as he brought a fist crashing into the side of Naruto's face. '_Score one for me…'_

It was a blink but Sasuke thought he saw a sudden change in Naruto's eyes and froze for a moment. Did they just turn…crimson? He didn't have time to think as the boy vanish from his sight for a second.

There was a slight rustle from his right.

'_There!'_ He turned to find no one.

'_What the...'_ His skin tingled and he moved, barely able to dodge a blurred shape.

_Crack!_

The trunk of the tree was badly cracked, showing a fist sized crater. Sasuke frowned, that couldn't be right. Trees in Konoha were much sturdier than in most countries and its strength was often compared to that of steel. If Naruto had this strength, why didn't he feel it in his punches? Instantly, Sasuke felt incensed and strangely, gleeful. '_How much did Naruto hold back just now…?' _

The boy in question leapt back a good distance away, slight panting from the exertion of the fight.

All the while, Sakura sat under her tree, unable to move as she watched Sasuke and Naruto fight. While she was rooting for her Sasuke-kun, she was quite worried for him as well. Who knew what Naruto was capable of? Seeing Naruto fight made it even clearer for her. She also knew that trees in Konoha were as hard as they could get and Naruto, a dead last _Genin_, managed to make a hole in it. Naruto was dangerous like the others have said.

Sasuke, however, was less observant. "Why the hell did you stop!" He shouted, wanting to defeat this new obstacle.

"Sensei's here." Naruto said in that quiet tone of his, eyes now back to their normal blue lucidity.

Sakura blinked before turning to look behind. True enough, Kakashi was standing there with something akin to amusement in his eye.

"Yo." Kakashi waved with nonchalance. "Had fun while I was away?"

"YOU'RE LATE!" Sakura yelled. In truth, she was rather relieved for him to be here.

Kakashi scratched the back of his head. "Err…I was helping an old lady, you see..."

The stares from his three students already told him what they thought of his excuse. He waved them off. "Now, that I'm here, I suppose that I will brief you further on what you're all supposed to do."

"I will be frank with you. This training is super tough." He said. Sasuke smirked while Sakura did not look convinced. Naruto just remained silent.

'_And now for the coup de grace...'_

"But this is no ordinary training; you will have to fight me if you wish to remain as Genin. And this test has a sixty six percent chance of failure and those who fail will be sent back to the Academy. In other words, of the twenty seven graduates, _only_ nine will become full Genin."

At this, both Sasuke and Sakura paled considerably. Naruto had a look of surprise which more or less satisfied Kakashi.

"Not so easy now isn't it?" He asked pleasantly.

"W-Wait a minute!" Sakura burst out, her green eyes frantic, "I thought that we've already become Genin!"

"Correction, graduating from the Academy only makes you eligible for Genin-ship," Kakashi answered calmly, "This, however, is the _real_ thing."

He set up an alarm clock at one of the tree stumps in the clearing before he held up two golden bells for all to see. "You will have an hour to snatch these bells from me. The only way you guys can get them is by coming at me with killer intent, otherwise don't try it at all and anything beyond the one hour will result in the loss of lunch. Lastly, the one who fails to get a bell will be tied to one of these lovely stumps. Understand?"

They nodded, their bodies ready to spring into action at a moment's notice.

Kakashi smirked, and this time they could see it in his eyes.

"Let the games begin."

* * *

A/N: This is the last of my...'Pre-written Chapters', so Chapter Four's going take a few days to get posted. If you have any suggestions about the plot or anything else, please leave a review and I will get back to you as so as possible. Many thanks to those who have reviewed. For those who have read this little project of mine and didn't review, PLEASE REVIEW! I tend to work faster when I know people are reading what I churn out, and especially when the idea's fresh. (End Rant) Till then. Possible errors due to lack of reliable beta-reader. 


	4. Chapter 4

Kakashi watched his surroundings for any sign of movement whatsoever. It was good to know that his students were at least apt in hiding, for he could not find either head or tail of them. Or at least, not yet.

He had given them a grace period of five minutes before he would begin his own counter-offensive. Hopefully within that time, they would realize that working together was the key to this exercise. Even if they failed to get the bells, he would pass them so long as they showed team work.

"Well, it isn't too much to hope." He mumbled to himself before fishing out his copy of Icha Icha Paradise.

It didn't take long before he was interrupted by an approaching large ball of flame. Snapping the book shut, he thought of one thing. '_Finally._'

He dodged the attack, noticing a blur coming in fast from his blindside. It could be only Sasuke since fire jutsu were an Uchiha specialty. That and he wasn't so sure of what Naruto was capable of.

"First lesson, Taijutsu," Kakashi drawled as he countered the kick at his head, while sending a fist of his own towards the dark-haired boy. Sasuke deftly dodged it, but not before his shoulder received a glancing blow.

They traded a few more blows, most of it in the favor of the Jounin, which was to be expected, before Sasuke jumped back.

"Hm, not bad," Kakashi said, his fingers stroking his mask-covered chin, "Though the form is a bit off. Tiger form, is it?"

Sasuke only grunted in reply, onyx eyes calculating the next course of action. His stance relaxed for a moment before his feet and arms shifted into a more esoteric position. Phoenix Rising, Kakashi realized as he recognized as the Uchiha Clan's variant of Taijutsu which he had seen in action a few times before the Uchiha Massacre.

Almost in a blink, Sasuke closed the distance between them, hands blazing chakra. While Sasuke had not managed to get in any hits, Kakashi noted that the strikes were becoming increasingly harder to block. The main idea behind Phoenix Rising was using chakra-enhanced speed in a great deal of individually learnt Taijutsu, rather than a rigid set of moves that cannot be molded to suit one's strength, which results in a greater physical flexibility. The problem, however, was that it needed the Sharingan to be of any use. And Kakashi was sure that Sasuke hadn't achieved that yet.

As it was, the fast strikes were quickly intercepted by far more experienced hands and Kakashi crinkled his eye in a smile. "Not bad, Sasuke-kun, though I think you might need the Sharingan for that, neh?"

Sasuke frowned before breaking the fist-lock with a well-placed kick and renewed his offensive, his hands forming seals before he let loose a large ball of flame.

Kakashi dodged, feeling the heat of the jutsu as it passed by him and into one of the larger rock formations that were littered around.

But before he could continue any further, a blur shot out from one of the bushes and the area around the boy had become smoky. Probably from a smoke bomb, Kakashi thought. And when the smoke cleared, he found himself alone in the clearing, with no hint of the battle before save for the smoldering rocks behind.

Kakashi grinned under his mask. He had a good feeling about this bunch.

( I I I )

Sakura was tense by now.

For almost fifteen minutes, she had waited in the exact spot she had occupied when Kakashi-sensei first announced the start of the survival exercise. More importantly, she hadn't seen any hint of Sasuke-kun since they had separated, nor of Naruto whom she hoped that she would have the fortune to never meet.

Fed up of waiting, she got up from the undergrowth. But before she could embark on her journey to rendezvous with her beloved Sasuke-kun, she was startled by a light tap on her shoulder.

"Yo!" She turned to see Kakashi smiling at her.

It was a moment later that she realized he was gone.

She looked around, confused before a pained groan caught her attention.

"Sakura...help me..."

She saw Sasuke crawling towards her, his left arm reduced to a bloody stump, bleeding profusely from the many kunai and shuriken that were protruding out from his body.

There were tears in her eyes as she tried to comprehend the scene before her.

"NO!" She screamed before promptly fainting from shock.

( I I I )

"That clone was real." It wasn't a question.

Naruto looked puzzled. "Is that a problem?"

Sasuke didn't answer, and instead he settled for a sneer. The boy was proving to be far more competent than he expected.

"I do not need your help, Uzumaki." Sasuke spat out, scanning his surroundings for one grey-haired Jounin-sensei before turning back to glare at Naruto. His chakra was low at the moment, and he didn't feel like indulging the blonde that information.

"Nor do I feel that you need it," Naruto countered, eyes impassive as always, "But it would be wise to reconsider. Our opponent is Jounin after all."

The boy had a point, not that Sasuke would ever admit.

"What do you suggest then?" Sasuke asked, even though he knew the answer to that. He just didn't like to be the one to ask for help.

There was a brief spark of annoyance in Naruto's eyes before he answered, "What I'm saying Uchiha, is that we work together along with Haruno."

"Do you realize that there are only two bells?" Sasuke's tone was snide, which roughly translates into 'One will be sent back to the Academy, and it ain't going to be me'.

The glint came into the boy's eyes and he frowned. "If you've been reading the Basics of Shinobi Tactical Efficiency, you would know that almost every combat-intensive grouping has _three _members. And Kakashi-sensei never said that not getting a bell means failure."

Sasuke scowled. "Your point being?"

"Why do you think that Kakashi-sensei only has two bells when normal teams have three members?" Naruto asked quietly, disturbingly clear eyes intent on the Uchiha's response.

When Sasuke stayed silent, he continued.

"He wants us to assume that the bells are crucial to success, but they are not, only serving as a distraction from the true goal of this whole exercise which is..."

"Teamwork." The Uchiha answered, dark eyes filled with a momentary understanding. Truth be told, he was a bit resentful that Naruto caught on to the deception before he did.

Naruto nodded. "So do you understand?"

Sasuke grunted. "I will follow your lead...for now." It was clear that Sasuke was taking a lot for him to say that. And that was enough for Naruto.

"Good. We should go get Haruno-"

A shrill scream pierced through the woods at that moment. "NO!"

"Or not." Sasuke said smugly, before noticing Naruto squatting down on ground.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked curiously as he watched Naruto slowly form a set of seals.

"Making my distraction." Naruto said simply.

( I I I )

Kakashi dispelled the genjutsu and looked down on the unconscious pink pile that was Sakura. He sweat-dropped.

'_Maybe I shouldn't have gone too far...' _

With that, he moved on, using his tracking skills to find the rest of his team. He didn't get very far when he finally stopped at a clearing.

There was a slight whistling in the air, a sharp pitch which he recognized as a sound that only can be caused by thrown shuriken and kunai. Immediately, he substituted himself with a nearby log and watched as the projectiles strike the log from his new position on a nearby tree. If his students were smart, they would've known that such blatant attacks were of no use at all.

There was a very loud rustle and Kakashi looked to the source, mildly surprised to see Naruto step out from one of the bushes. The boy stood still, his eyes staring at the log embedded with shuriken and kunai.

Naruto, as he had seen earlier with his fight with Sasuke, was fairly competent in Taijutsu. His knowledge about ninjutsu was further confirmed when the boy performed a Kage Bunshin, which was supposedly a Jounin technique, though Kakashi doubted that the boy could have anything more dangerous than that. He had seen what the boy had been capable of in the Academy and he wasn't impressed in the least.

Suddenly his skin tingled, and it always did when something very untoward was about to happen to him. He turned to find that Naruto had his gaze on him. Kakashi swore, momentarily forgetting that it was a training exercise rather than live combat. He quickly moved to a new location, before taking a moment or two to orientate himself. Shinobi weren't in the habit of being discovered and it was rather disconcerting for an elite ninja to be spotted hiding so easily.

'_I definitely need to re-check Naruto's records after this...' _

From what he had seen of Naruto up to now, Kakashi began re-evaluating his view on one Uzumaki Naruto. The boy was definitely NOT as untalented as the school reports had claimed otherwise.

Before he could finish thinking, another barrage of projectiles flew at him, forcing him to keep being mobile. Somehow, he knew that Naruto was responsible for all the traps he had encountered so far. Instead of risky close-combat, he had opted to use projectiles instead. Clever.

Soon, the barrage stopped and he leapt down onto the soft grass. Deciding it was better to stop playing around he lifted up his hitai-ate, his Sharingan eye twitching as light entered the cornea. Kakashi gave him surroundings a brief scan, trying to find any hint as to where his students might be. '_There!'_ To the south of his position, his eyes – or rather, his Sharingan – spotted a very faint flare of chakra. Its purpose served, Kakashi lowered his hitai-ate over his left eye once more.

Leaping onto a nearby tree, he observed the spot where he saw the chakra flare.

Even without the Sharingan, he could tell, with a certain degree of accuracy, where a person was by tracking their chakra signature, a skill which he had found most useful. The signature that he felt moments ago was gone.

Kakashi frowned. Something was amiss here...

_Whissh! _

'_Crap!' _

More kunai and shuriken flew towards him, forcing him to land out in the open clearing. Almost instantly, several copies of Naruto popped into existence, all of whom were surrounding him in a very loose circle, their faces impassive as they raised their kunai at him.

'_This must be Naruto's idea once again._' He thought dryly, trying to discern which of the dozen clones or so was the real one. But Kakashi had no intention of fighting them. Oh no, he knew that discretion was the better part of valor and that some battles weren't worth fighting and this was one of them.

He had to give Naruto credit though; the strategy he used was taken straight out from an academy text-book. Word for word, it seemed. Kakashi began mentally reciting to himself a phrase that was fitting.

'_Lure your enemy into a position of weakness.' _

'_Surround him with distractions, traps and ploys.' _

'_And attack, with full confidence of victory.' _

( I I I )

Sasuke was hiding behind a thick under-bush, watching as the clones proceeded to fight the Jounin on more or else equal footing, supported by Naruto from a far. For some unfathomable reason, they were actually holding off the Jounin within a certain degree of success. Whenever Kakashi gotten too far an advantage, he would be interrupted by sporadic bursts of fire and kunai coming from a different direction every time, courtesy of the blonde who would then summon up more clones for Kakashi to be occupied with. He was also quite surprised to find that Naruto knew a thing or two about fire jutsu, seeing that he had failed to perform anything noteworthy in the Academy.

It was the same type of surprise he had felt when he realized that Naruto had been able to produce real bunshins. Along with very liberal quantities of kage-kunai.

And they were both techniques that he had no idea were possible.

Sasuke scowled. He was going to have to up his training regime to compensate when this was all over. He could not afford to be second best. But for now, he pushed back the thoughts of revenge and focused on his current goal.

His job was simple; wait until Kakashi-sensei showed an opening.

And then he would strike.

( I I I )

Kakashi always prided himself to be a great judge of ability.

But this time, however, he had underestimated the sheer tenacity of his students. By a wide margin. Not to say that his skills were lousy though, as if this had been a normal mission, it wouldn't have been a problem, but it wasn't and he wasn't that willing to risk injuring his students by using one of his more...advanced techniques.

Hence came the problem with the several Kage-Bunshin which were now systematically wearing down his defenses. While Kakashi excelled in the skill of staving off multiple opponents, he wasn't quite thrilled when he found that for every clone that he put out of existence, two more would immediately take its place.

Normally, the trick to deal with Kage-Bunshins was to use a Henge and blend in, but it was quite difficult to do so when there were several clones which were attacking from all sides and that there was a distraction or another every time he tried to perform any hand seals.

While he was busy dodging the clones and fire jutsu, he failed to notice Sasuke, who was watching his back for quite some time. The clones renewed their attacks, forcing Kakashi to move backwards. Kakashi stumbled for a brief second.

There was an opening.

Now!

Sasuke charged using his chakra enhanced speed, his hands missing the bells at Kakashi's waist by an inch as the Jounin flung himself back from the Uchiha. At this, Sasuke smirked which made Kakashi worry a bit. The feeling was well-founded when two clones appeared from behind to grab him. But as soon as the clones touched him, Kakashi turned into smoke, replaced by a one of the other nearby clones.

Sasuke's smirk was replaced by a scowl.

Nearby upon a tree, Kakashi found himself feeling a bit smug. _However_, for all their innovations of thought, they still had a long, long way before they could begin to out-smart him.

"Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu!"

'_Eh? A Genin shouldn't have enough chakra for that technique!'_ Apparently, he assumed wrong about Sasuke as he watched a fireball, greater in size than the one Sasuke had used on him previously, soaring towards the tree he was perched on. Deciding it was a good time to abandon the tree, he jumped and drop-rolled to the ground. There were a few clones to greet him in a shower of punches and kicks, all of which he dispatched easily. '_And Naruto too.'_ He thought as he remembered the numbers of Kage Bunshin the boy had pitted against him.

Quickly, he performed the hand seals to one of his all time favorite skills.

"Doton: Shinjuu Zanshu no jutsu!"

Looking down on the boy's head, he said, "Lesson three: Ninjutsu. You and Naruto are quite far up in this area. A little too far." He looked at Sasuke in the eye, expecting to find all sorts of emotions on his face, but was surprised to find only simple apathy.

He frowned, his gut feeling acting up again.

Sasuke smirked before he disappeared in a puff of smoke. Kakashi widened his eye in surprise. '_Kage Bunshin?'_

Before he could react, two clones burst up from the ground, immediately grabbing a hold of Kakashi, pinning in place. Sasuke and Naruto, the real one he guessed, jumped out of hiding before rushing towards him, intent on the bells.

There was a slight beep from his wrist and he frowned. Time for some drastic action.

"Stop!" He exclaimed to his two charging students.

The two Genin stopped in mid strike, expecting an answer. And Kakashi delivered. "Lunch break." Was all he said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

The expression Kakashi saw on their faces almost made him smile, as he disappeared in a puff of smoke a moment later.

( I I I )

Kakashi had told them that since they failed to get a bell from him before the time limit, they would have re-do the whole thing again later. Which was good in the sense because it meant that they hadn't totally failed, however on the other end of the spectrum, Kakashi also announced rather cheerfully that it was going to be much more difficult to pass than before.

He handed the two boys a box lunch each, informing them that they had half an hour for lunch and were strictly forbidden to share any food whatsoever with Sakura who was currently tied to a stump, on the consequence of failure. By this time, Sakura had woken up, screaming 'Sasuke-kun!' and was now trying very hard not to look depressed or embarrassed.

Making sure that Kakashi was out of sight and hearing, Naruto procured a kunai and began cutting her bonds. "Naruto, what the hell are you doing!" Sakura squealed. "You're going to get Sasuke-kun in trouble!"

Naruto made a puzzled face, "He didn't say anything about letting you loose and I'm sure you wouldn't want to get cramps."

Sakura didn't say anything to that. There was silence and neither boys had touched their food. She felt quite hungry as she hadn't eaten anything for hours and tried to contain her desire to ask for food.

_Grrrooowl... _

Both heads turned to a flush looking Sakura. "It's nothing really-" As if to disprove her words, a significantly louder growl came from her stomach and Sakura immediately looked away, blushing.

Sasuke contemplated for a moment before he grudgingly offered his bento set to the girl. "Here."

Sakura looked both horrified and dreamy. "B-But Kakashi-sensei explicitly told you not to give me any food!"

"You can have my portion as well if you wish," Naruto said quietly, and he too pushed his bento set towards the girl.

Sakura still looked hesitant. "But-"

Sasuke gave a snort. "Look, Kakashi's not here and I can't have you as a liability later when you're hungry." As soon as he said that, there was a loud boom and there was smoke all around.

"You guys..."

There, standing behind them in the fading smoke, was Kakashi. His face obscured by the mask was now menacing, displeased by their disobedience. Then almost instantly, all of that vanished, replaced by a wide Cheshire grin that they felt rather than saw.

"Pass!"

* * *

A/N: Ugh, it was horrible trying to make the bell test familiar and yet a bit different from canon. Hopefully, I didn't muck up too bad on the chapter. To answer a few question that some people have on the guarantee of safety that the Third gave to Naruto. He could do so as long as Naruto became a shinobi when he was free in the village, which was considered to be formal military as far as the anime is concerned. And if I remember correctly, many medieval societies and cultures have severe laws that prohibit civilians from attacking military personnel, no matter how low the rank, and I doubt that it would be very different in a shinobi village either. Just the idea of assaulting a member of the military is bad enough. And hence, I suppose Sarutobi could find a loophole in which to protect Naruto with.

To those wondering whether this would become another mindless super-powered Naruto fic, I will be making sure that it will not happen. Far too many good ideas have been tarnished because of people who write action-fests where they have Naruto gain almost god-like powers without any hint of real sacrifice or hardship, AKA skipping over the details (Though I have the distinct suspicion that I am also incriminated as far as the accusation goes). Not that I believe he shouldn't be uber however, but I feel that his powers and abilities should be ideal (and realistic in any case) as they can be.

And finally, onto the concern that Sakura may wind up as a righteous bitch to others, they are unfounded and I hope to develop her as realistically as possible in accordance to the events in the story.

Finally Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone out there! Hope you have enjoyed this chapter!


	5. Chapter 5

Foreword: This chapter is a 'Filler Arc' and therefore is very LONG. Be warned. I have noticed that a lot of readers are concerned about Naruto being...normal, but I assure you that's not the case. Scroll to the end for me to clarify.

* * *

They couldn't believe their ears.

Sakura broke the silence first. "Pass? But why!" She blurted out, her shock and to a lesser extent, her delight, was displayed for all to see.

"You guys were the first," Kakashi said quietly, "The rest were morons who just followed what I said."

He walked to a stab of chiseled stone not far from them, and the three Genin followed meekly behind, waiting.

"Those who don't follow the rules are trash. That is the unwritten rule of the shinobi world," Kakashi said, cutting the silence, "But you know what? Those who leave their team-mates behind are even worse than trash."

"While individual strength is important to a ninja, teamwork is far more important and that is what the bell test is used to test for," He continued, his back still turned. "To find a willingness of cooperation within potential ninja candidates."

"Look at the names carved on this stone; they're all heroes who died in the line of duty," He trailed off, a wistful note to his voice, "My best friend's name is also on it."

It was a look that Naruto failed to understand. Why would anyone want to dwell within memories that can only cause grief? But the nostalgia was replaced as quickly as it came.

"Regardless, as of today," he changed the subject abruptly, his gloom vanishing in an instant, "You're all officially Genins. I expect you all to be here at the same time tomorrow as well."

Suffice to say, he arrived a few hours later than schedule, much to the chagrin of his students.

( I I I )

For the rest of the week, Team 7 had been engaged in all manner of D-rank missions, from garden-weeding to pet retrieval. Finally, after what all of them could agree as their first proverbial week of hell, Kakashi brought them to the expansive fields of the training areas, announcing to them that they would be spending the rest of their time engaged in 'specialized training'.

On the first day of the sessions, he had instructed them on the Tree-Walking exercise. While the concept had been relatively easy for his students to grasp, putting theory into practice had proved far difficult than they had expected. Sakura was the only one who completed the course without stumbling, and Kakashi sent her along to build up her much needed chakra reserves. Surprisingly, Naruto finished the exercise next, leaving a seething Sasuke behind. It was not long before the Uchiha completed the course too.

Kakashi clapped his hands. "Since you all performed amicably on such a difficult exercise, I guess its time to move on to something a little more...fun."

"Naruto, Sasuke," He said, his gaze directed at the two, pointing to the large clearing behind them. "Spar over there. I will be watching to correct any mistakes you make later on."

Sasuke's smirk was arrogant, like the ones Kakashi saw regularly on the Main Branch of the Hyuuga. He frowned slightly. He really needed to talk to Sasuke sometime soon. However, the voice of logic in his head said that rivalry in teams was common and good for development and that it was just a natural phase. Shaking off his thoughts, he focused on Naruto who just stood immobile.

"Naruto?" Kakashi asked, "You listening?"

The boy blanked out, before turning to stare at Kakashi. "Did you say something, sensei?"

"I asked you to move over there."

He nodded once, before turning to follow Sasuke.

"Begin."

As expected, Sasuke made the first move, hands fumbling quickly through the seals necessary for a Grand Fireball technique.

"Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu!"

It was a little overkill for use in a sparring match, Kakashi admitted, but he continued watching from the sidelines, and would intervene only if things got too out of hand. Naruto dodged, jumping as he summoned out a couple of clones for a counterattack. The fight continued, and Kakashi could see a familiar pattern of attack emerge with Sasuke favoring the use of his potent Fire techniques while the only technique Naruto had used at all was the Kage-Bunshin. Both were proficient in Taijutsu; while Sasuke had grace and raw power to his moves, which was a thumbs-up in Kakashi's eyes, Naruto executed his strikes in efficient and mechanical manner, never using more or less than what was required. The shinobi part of him, the one that had been ingrained in him since childhood, knew that Naruto was the better fighter of the two. A shinobi does not show emotion, he is a tool but even Kakashi knows that raw, raging emotion is better than cold and disinterested apathy.

In the end, Naruto's extensive use of tactics had exhausted the boy, leaving the Uchiha literally at his mercy. He took Sasuke at knife-point and paused. It was quite a shock then, when he blanked out and collapsed to the ground.

( I I I )

"There is something wrong with him." A hand gesture pointed to the boy lying comatose in a hospital bed, behind a room of glass windows.

Sarutobi nodded, "I see that famed observation skills of yours hadn't wasted over the years, Kakashi."

"You're avoiding the question, Hokage-sama."

Sarutobi chuckled a bit before his face became grim.

"Yes, I suppose I was," He said stiffly, "You noticed the ease of how he seemingly absorbs all the information that you teach?"

Kakashi nodded, eyes turning serious. "He knows things, down to the smallest of details, things that no Genin could possibly remember. He is a genius of the highest order, simply put. And yet, he has his flaws, little particularities that no shinobi should ever have," He trailed off, trying to find the words to describe the boy.

And then, Sarutobi waited for the hammer to fall. "He is a genius but not yet a genius."

"I remember the day he got attacked," Sarutobi said off-handedly, "You were the first on the scene, were you not?"

Kakashi nodded once more, but did not offer any more information. The Hokage always knew the answers to the questions he was asking, and it is how the person in question reacted that mattered to him. Kakashi showed once more why he was once ANBU, never flinching from the probing glance of one of the most powerful men on the continent.

"We do not know for sure what has happened to his mind, only that it gives Naruto a few particular disabilities, though the exact extent and number of those is unknown."

Kakashi glanced at the peaceful face of his student. "Is this part of his...disabilities?"

"Yes," Sarutobi said, taking a drag from his weed pipe, "Naruto seems to react badly to any concept of change or discontinuity of what he perceives as 'The Truth'. Like the time he memorized the entire twelve volumes of Advanced Tactics and Warfare immediately before reading Art of War. Both of which, I'm sure you know, are very conflicting in the details but they essentially amount to the same thing in practice."

He continued, ignoring the look that his subordinate gave him. "But it does not seem that way for Naruto; his mind fails to recognize the similarities and thus classifies them as two separate things altogether, in which his mind then divides the information into separate blocks and refers to them according when he encounters them, using only one set of information at a time as his 'absolute truth'."

Kakashi was surprisingly calm when he finished, Sarutobi noted with amusement. Not many had acted with apathy at the boy's almost impossible feats.

"Hokage-sama, are you sure?" Kakashi asked somewhat dubiously, "Those books are difficult even for an adult to remember and yet...?"

Sarutobi chuckled. "The medic-nins acted the same way as you did when Naruto said that he memorized everything, word for word. He got until the fifth volume when we asked him to stop."

Kakashi opted not to say anything on that point.

"Then...if the reason why Naruto keeps getting these seizures now is because he learns something in contradiction to his existing 'rules', why did he get it during training of all other times?"

"You do not know him as well as I do, though that isn't your fault," Sarutobi sighed, "You see, Naruto only believes that fighting should only be used as a last resort. It is more like a self-imposed rule actually; all the times he has ever fought have been either in self defense or when he has been allowed to with good reason."

Instantly, Kakashi remembered the fight that Naruto and Sasuke had before. Sasuke had attacked first. Naruto was passive, or at least, he was until Sasuke punched him in the face. There was something else that he needed to know. "And what of his knowledge of the Kage-Bunshin? I don't really believe that he could have learned it by just trial and error, especially when he couldn't produce a normal bunshin in the Academy."

"You remember the incident with the stealing of the Scroll of Seals?" He asked, still smoking his pipe. When Kakashi gave a nod, he continued.

"Naruto took it by the instruction of the traitor, Mizuki," He explained lightly with a look of practiced nonchalance, "He managed to master the almost all of the techniques there."

It wasn't any surprise when he saw Kakashi snap his head towards him in an instant.

"Almost _all_?" Kakashi choked, failing to contain himself this time around, "Then why did he only use the Kage-Bunshin-" By this point, he was almost ranting. And he had good reason to. He had known a lot of the techniques within that scroll, and of the damage they could do if they fell into the wrong hands. The ANBU were not known as the Black Ops for nothing.

"It is because _I_ forbade him to." Kakashi knew that was the end of that discussion, "I trust that you will keep this secret?"

"Yes, of course, Hokage-sama." He calmed himself, his emotions suppressed as his tried and true façade of casualness came into place. Sarutobi knew it was a mask but he knew that the former ANBU will follow his orders.

"In any case, his condition will happen at the most inopportune moments," He said, "And then, he will adapt by creating another set of guide lines in which he would follow without question until a contradiction comes along,"

"And the process repeats itself." Kakashi finished.

Sarutobi nodded, "He used to get it all the time regardless of stimuli but it happens rarely now. Still, it is best not to take any chances, so I suggest you make your explanations flexible and easily left open to interpretation. That way, he would be less likely to experience what he did today."

Kakashi frowned. "This is going to be difficult..."

"I never said that it was going be simple, Kakashi. Bear patience and tolerance to teaching him," Sarutobi said, before turning to leave the room, "He can be difficult to reach sometimes."

He took one look at the bed-ridden boy and nodded. "I understand, Hokage-sama."

( I I I )

The next day, Naruto reported at the training fields, looking as if yesterday had never happened. Sasuke and Sakura pretended to look nonchalant, but he knew better; they were all curious as to what illness had managed to bring him down.

He titled his head slightly forward. "I apologize for the trouble I have caused."

Kakashi just waved it off, hand in possession of his Icha Icha. "Mah, it was no trouble at all." He said, before breaking out cheerfully. "Since we're all here, let's start shall we? Sakura, continue with the tree-walking exercise."

Suffice to say, she was annoyed. "Why do I still have to practice this when Sasuke-kun and Naruto don't!"

Kakashi turned towards the kunoichi, his eye never leaving his book. The action startled her.

"W-what?"

"Kunoichi have very low reserves of chakra so it's natural that they have high control over it." He explained, with his only eye still glued to the Icha Icha in his hand, "You want to learn what I can teach? Get more chakra. And the only way you're going to get that is through Tree-climbing."

He turned away before Sakura could retort.

"Sasuke! Naruto! Come over here!" He yelled as he watched the girl huffing away angrily from the corner of his eye. It was for her own good after all. And besides, he was sure that Sasuke wouldn't appreciate the girl to keep staring at him.

"You both have well enough chakra for the basic stuff so I will be first teaching you that. The problem is that I will only teach you things that complement your style, so I will need you guys to tell me what you have and I will decide from there. Understand?"

Sasuke looked annoyed at the prospect of not learning all of what he could but he complied none the less. "I have Katon techniques and a few general stealth techniques. I don't really feel the need to learn any defensive jutsu." At his tone, Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"...I see," He said. Kakashi bit his hand, his other hand fishing out a scroll from his jacket pocket, before smearing blood onto the paper. A puff of smoke later, a dirty brown scroll appeared into his waiting hands.

He tossed the scroll to Sasuke, who caught it neatly. "This is an Earth technique," He said, watching his charge's face frown in distaste, "And before you ask me to teach you any Fire techniques, the answer is no." This time the frown evolved into a fully fledged glare, but Kakashi ignored it; he had been subjected to worse.

"Now," He eyed his students in a mock-suspicious manner, "I'm sure that you know that stone or anything for that matter is weak against jutsu, am I correct?" He was satisfied with the two nods that followed, and he continued, "But that can, and will change when you imbue chakra to the surface as it forms a protective layer above it, essentially rendering it resilient to anything," As he was saying that, he performed a single seal before placing his hands on a conveniently nearby rock. Immediately it began to glow with a blue sheen.

To prove his point, he then punched the outcrop next to it with a chakra enhanced fist. It crumbled almost instantaneously. He did the same on the imbued one. This time nothing happened.

"While the technique of imbuing alone is useful, you wouldn't be learning it, not for now at least. This is for demonstration purposes only." Again, Sasuke frowned as the opportunity of learning yet another useful technique slipped away.

"Sasuke," The boy in question looked up, annoyance in his eyes, "Use the best technique you got on that," Kakashi pointed to the rock before he and Naruto moved a fair distance away.

He scoffed, but complied, his hands forming seals lazily before finally raising his index and middle finger to his lip. "Katon: Ryuuka no jutsu!" A stream of red flames burst out from his mouth, continuing for several seconds or so before it waned and stopped completely. The smoke that was caused from the jutsu lessened up and revealed the aftermath of Sasuke's attempt.

The grass surrounding the grass was burnt - which was hardly any surprise - and even the shattered fragments of the stone Kakashi previously destroyed disintegrated from the heat but the imbued stone remained. It stood silent as if mocking the Uchiha with its continued existence. Sasuke scowled, miffed at the fact that he failed.

"Now, notice that the difference." Kakashi said, performing hand seals as he did.

"Doton: Yuuen Iwadeba no jutsu! (Grand Earth Knife Technique)"

The protective field flickered for a less than a second before dieing out; and the rock was shattered by a great spire of earth which had erupted from the ground, before promptly sinking back into the soil. Sasuke had a glint in his eyes, as the cogs in his mind turned as he witnessed the potential of the technique. But Kakashi was not finished.

"_However_," He stressed, "The purpose of this technique is not offensive though as you've seen, it can be used that way. What I want you to do is this." Once more, Kakashi performed a short set of seals before slamming his hands down to the ground. A somewhat neat slab of earth rose up from the ground.

Whatever eagerness that Sasuke had before vanished. Any Genin worth their salt could destroy a summoned barrier within seconds.

"Try a Grand Fireball on it," Kakashi offered. Sasuke did what he was told. A moment later, the Fireball crashed into the barrier, sending a lot of smoke into the air. When the air settled, the barrier was still standing, apparently undamaged from the attack. Kakashi looked unsurprised.

Sasuke was now trying very hard not to gape. "How...?"

"Out of all the five different elemental jutsu, Earth-based techniques require the least chakra to be used, compared to Lightning and Fire based techniques. While it is undeniable that both of those elements are very effective in terms of offense, it will still fall short at a defensive Doton technique." He explained, gesturing to the barrier that he erected just before.

Seeing no response from either pupil, Kakashi continued, "Because it relies so little on chakra and more of its surroundings, Doton barriers deflect, rather than absorb the energy of other jutsu. To put it simply, any concentrated chakra which hits it - or in this case, jutsu - will be broken up by this effect, rendering virtually almost all high-chakra jutsu useless. The only thing which could tear apart a Doton barrier would have to be a Wind technique which in turn can be countered easily by either Fire or Lightning techniques so on and so forth. Hence the reason why there are five Great Shinobi powers instead of one."

Looking at the blank looks his students were now giving him, Kakashi just sighed. "But all politics aside, what you have in the end is a reliable shield capable of withstanding the most potent of jutsu that anybody can throw at you." The implication was left hanging. If Sasuke mastered the technique, it would render him – in essence – invulnerable from any kind of elemental attack. He almost shivered at the thought.

"Still think it is useless?" Kakashi asked of the Uchiha cheerfully, to which Sasuke didn't have the cheek of answering. "No? Then, try to master the technique by creating various shapes and sizes. Now, go somewhere else!" Kakashi shoo-ed a frowning Sasuke away, while at the same time, mysteriously procuring his Icha Icha into his hands once more.

"Naruto," He turned towards the blonde once Sasuke ventured to an empty part of the clearing to begin practicing, "I had spoken to Hokage-sama about your...unique ailment."

Naruto blinked. He was confused for a moment, before the implication of his words started to sink in.

"You _know_." Naruto breathed out. Kakashi nodded, "Hokage-sama felt it prudent to tell me."

Naruto stared blankly; its cold intensity rivaling the most heated expression of rage that he had ever received. But apathy was so much more dangerous than emotion.

The Jounin sighed, trying to shake off the shivers that ran across his skin. "I got nothing useful to teach you, seeing that you have read _that_ scroll, but..." He bit into his thumb again, smearing it across another scroll. "I think you may find this useful." Kakashi handed a white scroll that he summoned to Naruto, who hesitantly accepted it.

"Oh, and before I forget," he said, voice bored and flat, "Hokage-sama wants to see you tomorrow."

( I I I )

In the end, training had ended on a dull note, with Sasuke being proficient enough to conjure a barrier whenever needed (Or whenever he does manages to dodge Kakashi's persistent attempts at side stepping him anyway). Sakura was exhausted by the time the training had ended though she perked up slightly when Kakashi had said that she would be allowed to learn some new techniques in a few days time before slumping into a funk, realizing that she had three more days or so before she could learn the fore-mentioned techniques. Naruto observed all of this silently, before deciding to leave immediately with his scroll in tow, back to home.

'Home' was a run-down apartment building south from the village central, neglected since the end of the Wars when the owner had died without any immediate family or successors. The village council took custody of it and refurnished it as a dormitory for war orphans. While there were ninja who lived there, most of its previous tenants have moved to new and better apartments over the years, thus leaving building empty and quiet.

He didn't mind it though; he was accustomed with the silence. Sometimes, it allowed him to think of but not always. He never felt the need to though, as he often busied himself with his books. He took a slurp from the cup of instant ramen that prepared earlier, chewing as his eyes scanned the scroll he gotten from Kakashi-sensei.

But he found his attention drifting towards his team.

He had always been a loner in the Academy, watching as one class after another graduate while he stayed on. They had left him alone and he had felt no need to associate himself with anybody (His random games with Shikamaru and Chouji had been fairly recent, though he didn't find himself regretting it.)

Now it was different; he could no longer be as distant as he wished.

Though it was merely a bud now, he felt a bond form when he and Sasuke teamed up on Kakashi. It was an anomaly and if it was one thing he didn't like, it was being unsure.

He frowned, before turning his attention back to _Medical Herbs and Their Uses. _and began reading once more.

( I I I )

The next day, Naruto found himself walking towards the Hokage Tower. As a reward for their efforts, Kakashi had given Team 7 a day off, much to his and Sasuke's chagrin. Sakura, on the other hand, had been relieved at the chance to be able to rest properly for the previous day's training had all but worn her out.

"Ah!" He bumped into someone, causing both of them to fall down. He got up, brushing himself off before taking a good look at the person who bumped into him. It was a girl from his former class recognized, with short azure tinted hair and lavender eyes.

"Hyuuga-san," He nodded to the still girl, who flushed when he offered his hand.

"Naruto-kun," She greeted shyly, accepting his help while she steadied the basket on her arm.

He stared at the girl's lavender eyes, finding them odd and yet so delicately entrancing. His gaze lowered to the small basket she was cradling.

"Isn't that Lan'er Root?" He asked, pointing to the small herb, among the many, that were cradled in the girl's basket. Despite its deceptively sickly appearance, it was a vital ingredient for many of the more potent drugs and medicines used by the village. It was, however, notoriously difficult to find and pick from the area, as its shape resembled many wild-flowers which littered across the training fields.

"Y-yes," Hinata half-whispered and half stuttered, startled by the blonde's question. She hadn't known anyone besides herself who had any interest in herbs, so her surprise was natural. Naruto nodded to himself, "It's a good herb. You have good eyes to have picked it."

"T-thank you..." Though it was true in the strictest sense, Hinata could not help but feel...elated to have someone compliment her. Her little crush on the blonde not withstanding.

With that, he continued on his way, leaving behind a fully blushing Hyuuga heiress.

( I I I )

"How're you feeling, Naruto-kun?" Sarutobi asked amicably from his seat, "No pain or ache I suppose?"

"No, Sarutobi-sama," The boy fished out a small yellow packet, "The medicine you gave me works really well."

"Good," The man said, watching as the boy tucked the medicine back into his pocket, "I expected no less."

"Is there a reason why you've called me here today?" Naruto asked, eyes blank and voice impassive.

"Yes," he said, bringing a hand to his temples, "It's about _that_ scroll."

Naruto paused. "What about it?"

"I need to check something," he said briskly, "Could you perform the Myoukaen shouheki no jutsu?"

Naruto nodded and soon there was a black cube of flame on the face of his palm. It was flawless in its shape; immaculate and simple in its elegance. Sarutobi squinted at it for a moment before relaxing his eyes. His face was grave for a second before it turned into kindly consideration.

"You can release the jutsu now, Naruto." The cube dissipated in bluish flame a second later.

It was at that moment when a boy of eight or so rushed in.

"FIGHT ME NOW, JI-JI!" He yelled, hands preparing to throw a shuriken and then...

_Thump! _

He fell flat on his face.

Sarutobi groaned, wondering how much longer his grandson would keep up at this.

"YOU THERE!" He shouted at Naruto, "YOU TRIPPED ME, DIDN'T YOU!"

Naruto stared at the hyper-ventilating boy for a moment before bringing up his hand to flick the younger boy's forehead. "OUCH!"

"You should learn not to accuse people so readily, little leaflet." He said, just as a man, whose eyes were obscured by a pair of sunglasses, rushed in that exact moment to see the flick.

"He's the Hokage's grandson, you insolent brat!" The man squawked indignantly at the blonde, his finger deviating from one boy to another.

"Grandson or not, he needs to learn some manners. Surely, you agree?" Naruto turned to regard the new arrival coolly. The man took a step back at the intensity fo the boy's glance, his normal verbal eloquence failing him for the first time.

Naruto bowed curtly to Sarutobi and left, leaving behind an amused Hokage, an indignant elite tutor and an very surprised boy. Konohamaru stared. No one (around his age anyway), had made Ebisu-sensei speechless before. Ever. He had even heard that, the blonde guy had managed to sneak past his Grandpa, the strongest person in the village! Face set into resolve, Konohamaru gathered his wits and rushed out of the office.

After Konohamaru left, Ebisu turned a hesitant look at his superior. "...Was that the Kyuubi-brat?"

"Yes." Sarutobi smiled, though it did not reach his eyes. "Though I suggest you best find your charge, you do not agree?"

Ebisu quickly hurried out.

( I I I )

After noticing the younger boy following him for the fifth time or so, Naruto went over to a poorly patched section of the wall and yanked it hard. The resulting gasp of surprise made him arch an eyebrow in detached amusement. Some people had odd ways of getting attention...

"I suppose there is a reason for you to be following me?" he asked, hands still grasping the camouflage cloak.

The boy grumbled a response, "I heard you managed to sneak pass the old geezer..."

"Yes, so?"

The boy lowered his head, this time, mumbling far too low for the blonde to hear. "I beg your pardon?" he asked once again.

The boy looked up, eyes bearing a emotion he was unfamiliar with. "Teach me all that you know so I can defeat Grandpa, please!" There was desperation in his voice.

A pause.

"Why?"

Konohamaru gritted his teeth, his voice becoming bitter, "Because nobody sees me for me, all they see is the Hokage's grandson." Naruto could understand the motive though it was alien to him. Acknowledgement was something that he had been denied before and he had long learnt to survive without it.

"So, is there any weakness that you know that you want to exploit?"

At this. Konohamaru grinned evilly, taking his question as acceptance. "Grandpa's a pervert. I caught him reading one of those books my sensei keeps hiding."

Naruto had a sinking feeling in his gut, remembering a certain grey haired sensei giggling over a certain orange colored book. "Let me guess...Icha Icha Paradise?"

"Yes, that's the one."

Naruto blinked. So...Sarutobi-sama is a pervert as well. Perverts, as Naruto found out before, were particularly weak against certain things. He didn't create anything to exploit that as he felt no need to before.

"We can work on that," he said somewhat unsurely, "You know how to Henge?"

"Yup!"

And so the training started.

( I I I )

After testing out the finished technique on some unsuspecting adults, both Naruto and Konohamaru concluded with confidence, that such a technique (albeit a stupid one; Naruto wasn't willing to impart anything from the Forbidden Scroll to Konohamaru for a multitude of reasons) would be capable of defeating almost all of the male adult population in Konoha.

"I suppose that would be enough," Naruto said, glancing up from his magazine in hand to the supple and barely clothed woman in front of him, "It would serve its purpose."

A poof later revealed an elated Konohamaru. "Really! Alright!"

"It still doesn't have a name yet though..." Naruto pointed out.

Konohamaru deflated. "Your right..." Then he bounced right up. "I got it! How about we call it the 'Sexy no jutsu'!"

Naruto nodded, "It's...appropriate." Silence reigned for a moment before Naruto spoke.

"Are you serious about wanting to achieve the title of 'Hokage'?"

"Of course!"

"Remember," he said, eyes so full of somberness that Konohamaru gulped, "If you want the name 'Hokage' that everyone will acknowledge, there are no shortcuts," Naruto paused and his somberness disappeared, "That aside, it would best if you only use that technique in specific...situations; you wouldn't want to become like your sensei, would you?" Konohamaru nodded vigorously. There was a slight rustle from the nearby bushes, indicating an unknown and unwelcome presence which Naruto had noticed for a long time now.

"Ebisu-san, you can stop hiding now," he said, ignoring the surprised look that Konohamaru was giving him.

It was then Ebisu popped out from his hiding spot, cheeks flush with anger and embarrassment.

"Young Master, I've come to take you home!"

"No! Don't get in my way!" The boy yelled, hands forming a seal. "Sexy no jutsu!"

Konohamaru transformed and Ebisu had to redirect his chakra to prevent the blood from spurting through his nose. How had the boy known of his fixation to brunettes?

"S-such a vulgar skill!" he half yelled, half stuttered, more for his ego and pseudo-morality than anything else, "I'm your best shortcut to becoming Hokage! Let's go, Young Master, before he corrupts you even further!"

Naruto resisted the urge to sigh. For a pervert, Ebisu was rather adamant about it than most; everyone he and Konohamaru experimented on went from 'conscious' to 'knocked out' within two seconds after the use of the Sexy no jutsu. That had to mean _something_.

"Kage-Bunshin no jutsu!"

At this, Ebisu smirked at the masses of clones. "I'm no amateur like Mizuki. What are a few clones to an Elite Tutor like me?" He dropped into a ninjutsu-taijutsu stance. "Do your worst!"

The massive army of Narutos formed a single tiger seal and Ebisu tensed for a moment. Were they going to perform a Katon technique?

"Henge!" There was a great plume of smoke which cleared to reveal the one thing he least expected.

Women.

Women of different shapes, sizes and hair color. But they all shared something in common.

They were almost naked.

And each and every one of them had to be the sexiest thing that he had ever seen since sliced bread and butter.

Blood threatened to gush from his nasal orifices, but he endured them with chakra enforced barriers. He had to!

All of them made provocative motions. And noises.

His brain overloaded and the blood rushed through the feeble barriers, throwing him back several feet and into la-la land all at the same time.

Konohamaru had only one thing to say. "Wicked!"

( I I I )

Days were spent on training or missions, the more interesting and productive of these was the training which was held every other day after a particularly mind-numbing mission. It had been a few days since his little tutorship of Konohamaru and Naruto could honestly say that it had been the only highlight of the week, though he was less affected by the monotony than the others whom made up his team. Before, they used to anticipate with excitement as to what missions that were assigned to them. The present, however, had been an entirely different matter altogether.

Kakashi appeared half an hour late, to the chagrin of Sakura and Sasuke, despite having come earlier than usual by a good fifteen minutes. Being late earlier didn't exactly constitute as being early.

"Yo!" Kakashi waved. "I got lost on the road of life..."

When he got no response, he straightened up a bit. "I got you guys another mission! It's good too!"

"What? Like that _wonderful_ D-rank the last time?" Sakura asked sarcastically, having filled her fair share of the notoriously dissatisfying D-ranks. Normally, she was polite and courteous, but combined with the boredom of missions and general resentment of Kakashi's tardiness, she had somehow unhinged and became fierier than she normally was. It was also probably because that, out of the three, she had been the one most subjected to the grueling and often repetitive strength training that Kakashi had thought up for them.

Kakashi's only eye remained crinkled. "Nope! But I got a C-rank for you guys..."

The mere mention of a mission higher than D-rank brightened up the mood instantly.

"So..." Sasuke spoke up for the first time since his arrival. "When do we start?"

* * *

Unbeta-ed, may contain possible/spelling/etc errors. Will look over and upload edited copy when I have the time. Please highlight them in your reviews if you find any.

There's only one thing I can say about the current Naruto episodes; by God, they SUCK! It is as if they hired a guy on crack to do the story lines. I wouldn't mind if they did it with some sense of decentness, but seriously, I _cringe_ every time some random bandit gets hit by Naruto because they cut on the fighting animation as well. Bloody arseholes.

Ahem. On to fanfic-related matters...

First thing first, it isn't going to be NaruHina, and besides, I don't know whether I can add romance without screwing the whole thing over. Hopefully, the chapter turns out good for all of you, though personally, I felt that the chapter was a bit choppy...adding/making up new stuff is hard. The next chapter will be shorter so probably it wouldn't take as long as this one did. Once again, thanks to everyone who reviewed, I would have put up a thank-you list but that would delay the posting time even further. To answer a lot of concern about Naurto's apparent or visible lack of mental trauma, I have written a short essay-length answer below for your perusal.

Naruto is **semi**-autistic. Now, why did I decide that he is semi and not completely? First, creating a story where Naruto has to be completely taken care of seems ridiculously difficult to write, especially if I have to somehow let him become a ninja – which I'm sure all of you know, is hazardous and requires one to be at least capable of looking out for himself - to make the story more or less familiar for you guys. (And beside, making up a entirely different plot is too much for me to attempt anyway)

Secondly, Naruto supposedly died when he had that jutsu cast on him. It basically rendered him a vegetable but Kyuubi healed him and has doing so been ever since and it's the only thing that's keeping his mind together since his 'breaking'. Doesn't mean that he's perfect and all healthy though. He experiences the same symptoms and problems of an autistic person though a lot of it will be modified for the sake of the plot and I will be throwing some kinks into the equation as well. He **will** break down completely if a certain someone messes up his seal. –Hint, hint-

Thirdly, just because he's sounds coherent doesn't mean that he gets it easy. He will often be inattentive and do countless amounts of little things that set him apart from the rest. So please, don't say that he isn't having problems and not being challenged. Everyone is challenged, some more than others. I'm trying my best to make him as realistically as I can without seriously fucking him up to the point where he quits as a ninja and gets slammed back into an ANBU containment cell. Hopefully, it doesn't come to that.

If anybody is willing to provide me a site with good and easily understandable information about autism, feel free to do so.


	6. Chapter 6

"Blah" denotes speech.

_Blah! _denotes sound.

'_Blah'_ denotes thoughts.

'**BLAH**' denotes Demon talking.

Foreword: Filler Arc, next chapter will be the start of the Wave Arc. Violence and killing in this chapter, so press the back button if such content offends you. 11/02/06 Edited and fixed some errors.

* * *

It was a simple mission for a C-rank, Kakashi had assured them. They were supposed to clear out a brigand of raiders that were plaguing the trade routes between Fire and Earth, a mission request by one of the trading moguls of Fire. The training that took place after his briefing had been surprisingly light and for good reason; Team 7 was to leave at dawn the next day.

With afternoon giving way to evening, Naruto went to Ichikaru's for his daily dinner consisting of Ramen. By the time he arrived, the final rays of the sun vanished beneath the horizon and the artificial city lights began to beam radiance through the darkening streets. It was by pure coincidence that he met a brooding Iruka.

"Iruka-sensei," he greeted the Chuunin just as he was about to bring the first strands of noodles to his mouth, "You look," Naruto frowned, pausing as he tried to find a appropriate word, "...troubled. Is something a matter?"

The man smiled, though Naruto could tell that it was forced. "Really?" Iruka asked in return, "Maybe it's because I'm a little more tired than usual..." He was avoiding the subject, but Naruto has enough sense, and courtesy to let it slide.

He nodded. "I see, rest well then. You look better with a smile." Iruka let off a laugh at that before choosing to sit on the stool next to Naruto. He quietly ordered a bowl of miso ramen, before turning to look at the eating blonde. "So how are you adjusting to Genin life?"

"Its okay and the missions are very undemanding. Kakashi-sensei always is late for our meetings," Naruto took another slurp from his noodles, "Though he teaches us well, I guess."

The man chuckled, plunging his chopsticks into his recently arrived bowl of ramen . "Your sensei always had a particularity for lateness. It's good to know he isn't _completely_ ignoring his teaching duties."

They ate in a comfortable silence; an unspoken rule between the two that made it somewhat accepted though they had rarely spoken before. Iruka was more concerned about Naruto than the rest of his students, because he knew Naruto was different in some way. How the boy spoke and interacted with his environment had led him to speculate many a time whether or not he was suitable for the ninja life. "Any missions which brings you out of the village?"

He shook his head while slurping up his noodles. "We never got a mission like that, though tomorrow would be the first; it's a C-rank one."

Iruka's previous expression came back, but once more Naruto didn't say anything. The teacher was silent for a while before he said, "Just be careful, ok?"

Naruto nodded, even though he did not understand why he needed to be careful.

They sat in silence after that, the only sounds heard were from Naruto's constantly slurping noises and from the rowdy street outside. When Naruto was finally done (after eating an impressive amount of eight bowls), Iruka had offered to pay for the meal, though the boy had politely rejected his treat but thanked him for the offer nonetheless.

He left, quietly saying his good byes, leaving behind an ever frowning Iruka to stare at his back.

( I I I )

They set off from the village gates the minute they were open, when the sun rose from oblivion only to lie motionlessly on the horizon. Their packs were light, carrying enough supplies to last for six days at most, which was, according to Kakashi, the time frame of which they would have to complete their mission and return to Konoha. Kakashi telling them that the journey would take three days at most and that they would have to camp once night started to set. Interaction between the members of Team 7 was null, and with the Jounin deciding that Icha Icha Paradise had more importance than mere idle conversation, it seemed like it would remain that way for quite some time

The only form of conversation that actually took place was between Sasuke and Sakura, though even then, it could hardly constitute as a conversation at all.

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura preened, coyly curling her cherry pink hair with her fingers, "Does my hair look all right today?"

The raven haired boy just grunted out a reply, if only to stop the girl from simpering any further, "Yes." '_It looks all right for the eighth time'_, he had wanted to add venomously but restrained himself, though frankly speaking, he really didn't _care_.

"Really?" She asked once more, to the dismay of the boy. "Do you really think that, Sasuke-kun?"

The boy in question just gritted his teeth, ignoring the very fantasizing look that his _team-mate _had. He knew that he shouldn't have said anything in the first place.

He glanced behind him, absently noting that Kakashi was still reading his so-called excuse for _exotic literature_. Exotic in the sense that there wasn't any book quite like it, and Sasuke found his face burning just after reading a few lines within a copy that he found discarded on one of the park benches. His eyes left his inattentive teacher to regard the smaller figure trailing silently behind.

From the first time they had exchanged blows, Sasuke knew that Naruto was all that he could ask for in a rival; no one else till then had fought him to a stand still, no one else had displayed the sheer potential of strength that was a requirement for being his rival. But for all his hopes for a worthy rival to challenge, Sasuke was afraid of his growth. In a short span of time, Naruto proved himself far beyond the persona of a drop out, and had shattered almost every perceivable notion that Sasuke had of the boy. Where Naruto had failed to create a simple bunshin in the Academy, he now created _real_ clones with practiced ease of someone who has been doing so for years. No one can dismiss such great change of ability so easily. Especially not Sasuke.

While he was normally the one with the cool head in a fight or spar, that had changed when he fought Naruto. There was something about his manner that made him want to lose his temper and be on the offensive, to break that damnable mask of indifference he had seen plastered on Naruto since ever. Nobody else had disregarded him the way Naruto did. It was like a punch to his gut, and while he had disliked the attention and fawning he received before, he had grown used to it and thus was unaccustomed with Naruto's apathy.

He challenged a few of his former classmates on the fly, when he saw them training alone or together and instantly agreed, smitten by the fact that the _Uchiha_ wanted to fight against _them_.

He found himself comparing them to Naruto. And strictly speaking, their abilities were _way_ inferior to the boy. Their punches were slower and lighter, their tactics predictable to a fault and worst of all, he knew that they were deliberately holding back as though they had wanted to curry his favor by appeasing to his ego. Ha! What difference does it make whether they tried their best or not? He still would defeat them regardless of ability. It was then he realized that he could not advance with such sycophants hounding after his heels.

After a few of such matches, he decided that he preferred apathy to idol-worship. A slight change to his routine but it was one that he was willing to adapt to and grow stronger for it. Naruto offered sound advice whenever he chose to do so, never directly helping him or meddling in his business like some other people he knew. His Taijutsu improved noticeably after one such occasion.

Until he met Naruto, Sasuke never realized that one could equally hate and like a person at all.

And that was what his feelings towards the boy were; a constant shift between like and hate.

On one hand, his driving ambition of being the best still dominated his goals and on the other, there was his slowly though growing desire to have someone he could be proud to call team-mate, rival and _friend_.

He liked the way Naruto didn't butter up to him and fill his ears with trash, but he hated that piercing impassiveness that proclaimed to the world that everything was beneath him. Or so he told himself, because he knew that it was for another reason why he hated the boy. He would flinch slightly whenever Naruto turned his gaze onto him, because Sasuke would be reminded of Itachi and his terrible scarlet eyes. Though Naruto's were icy blue, he found little difference between the dissimilar parallels of cyclopean intensity.

He shivered despite being warm and somehow, Sasuke knew that things were going to be far from simple.

( I I I )

This, Kakashi decided, was quiet. Except for the occasional high-pitched whine and grunt from Sakura and Sasuke respectively, there was no form of interaction whatsoever. While not as silent as the ones he had during his tour of duty, it was considered unnatural for a Genin team to be so...whatever his team was. Kakashi didn't have a word or phrase for it at the moment. He thought back to how his other compatriots had described their teams and the phrase literally popped back into his head.

They were anti-social.

Or if one was particularly snide, they were lacking the passionate flames of youth. Looking at them now, somewhat silent and obviously moping, Kakashi found himself agreeing.

Instantly, he grimaced. That was something _Gai_ would say.

Though it was not by choice, (for no child would want to be deprived of friends and fun, though Kakashi disagrees. He wasn't just any _child_.) Sasuke and Naruto were made so by circumstance (though Kakashi doubts that Naruto would be any different if he wasn't suffering from his ailment). There was no chance of a cohesiveness that was built upon verbal communication, nope, it was going to have to be built on trust, which was why he requested a C-rank so soon. His thoughts shifted to the enigma of the group.

He had learnt of how Hitatsuki Aoi used substantial Genjutsu to rip away all shreds of personality, consciousness and intellect from a certain blonde and whiskered child. Naruto was, by all rights and logic, supposed to stay bedridden for the rest of his life. But by some sort of miracle, he had reconstructed his shattered mind within a matter of mere months.

There had been no record of a human, ninja or otherwise, that had been capable of such acute healing. It was easy to assume that the Kyuubi had a hand in it all. And it was most likely true. The effects of the demon's work were quite hard to miss in any case, if the ethereal aura that Naruto exhibited at all times was any indication. It had been another reason to an already long list of why the old generation of Hyuuga avoided the boy like the plague.

He peeked out from the corner of his eye, regarding each of his pupils with a hint of concern. Out of the three, he had worried most about Sakura. She had no bloodline or clan that she could proudly call her own, nor did she possess any of the unique talents that other civilian-turned shinobi seemed to have. It was funny that Sakura seemed to be the only one of her peers to able to feel the vibes that Naruto's aura gave off, especially when there were so many more sensitive and blood gifted children than her who had failed to even catch a small whiff of the real terror lying underneath the calm and fore-brooding exterior. Kakashi considered the possibility of cosmic irony at that moment before snuffing it out with apathy. Irony or not, it was not his to enjoy, though he felt slightly pleased. His thoughts once more turned on the fidgety girl.

Before, Sakura had ignored the palpable feeling of terror that emanated from the blonde by talking to Sasuke. At the moment, however, she had no such luxury. Through the silence, he could sense a bit of fear from the pink-haired girl and every so often, she would give a discreet glance towards Naruto who was trailing off a reasonable distance away with something akin to anxiety in her eyes though exactly what, Kakashi could never tell. Fear appeared differently in another person's eyes, and this rule remained true. Kakashi pretended not to notice the girl giving the figure behind him a wary glance.

Her apprehension was unfounded yet understandable. Her instincts were very accurate, though she would never know. How many Genin had a demon vessel as their team-mate? None, if the record is true that the other containers for the great demons had been slain at birth. If the Kyuubi indeed has possessed the boy then, it would fall to him to make the number of Jinchuuriki go down once more.

Icha Icha in hand, he continued walking, ignoring the faint and wispy tendrils of hellish energy that only he could see.

( I I I )

He had never stepped the beyond the village gates till today. While there were many others who had never stepped outside their village considered it trivial, his first time outside meant so much more to him.

He had read of how the plains of the Fire Country were the most beautiful among all of the countries. For the first time since...forever, he felt free as he took in the sight of the wide expanse of grass land, with tall mountains and lush forests barely visible at the edge of the horizon.

Trailing behind his team slightly, he admired the sight, committing the scene to memory as if he would never be able to see it again. A sudden gust blew past him, gently making the grass land sway to its tune. Naruto found himself lulled by it.

'**_PLEASANT, ISN'T IT?' _**A loud booming voice asked suddenly, awaking him from his state of semi-consciousness.'

'_It is,'_ he found himself agreeing, '_Better than Konoha.'_

'**_IT CERTAINLY IS; I WAS BEGINNING TO TIRE OF SEEING THE SAME THINGS OVER AND OVER AGAIN.'_**

Naruto didn't feel the need to answer though he could feel the Kyuubi leave his mind and settled into the pit of his stomach.

He continued to take in his surroundings, unaware of the little glances that Sakura keeps giving him.

( I I I )

There were no encounters of any kind and by the time the sun had set and night had taken its place, Team 7 had covered a great deal of distance on their first day. Camp was set up and soon, the four members of Team 7 were already sitting comfortably around a softly glowing camp fire, their eyes set on the rations they had brought. Not surprisingly, everyone save Kakashi had a salted piece of sun dried meat in between their hands.

"Ugh," Sakura frowned, her face grimacing as the terrible taste sank into her tongue, "This is _horrible_." Mentally, Sakura vowed never to buy store bought provisions anymore. She wasn't sure whether her tongue or stomach could last if she did.

Sasuke just grunted, though everyone with half a brain could see him trying to fight off the horrible taste within his own mouth.

Kakashi, being a veteran of many battles and camp outs, gently admonished them before gleefully devouring his own sandwich of smoked, salted and honey glazed ham in a single motion too fast for them to see. "Rule 15: A shinobi must be prepared for anything." He said in a sage like manner, his mouth still munching on, "Which includes making sure that one's dinner is somewhat passable to your tongue."

Both Sasuke and Sakura grumbled before biting off a chunk of their infinitely less superior dinner. They tried very hard not to wince when the thick flavor of salt and vinegar stung their tongues.

"It is bland." Naruto suddenly said and immediately, he found himself gathering the stares of his two team-mates. "What?"

Sasuke and Sakura glared at him.

Naruto didn't take offense.

Silently, both of them finished off their meat before retreating back to their respective tents to do whatever they needed to do. Kakashi has the first watch, though he promised with a hearty wink to his pupils that they would each have a turn later. Naruto just sat on his stump, eyes watching the fire.

"How long more to our destination, Sensei?" he asked, poking the red hot embers with a stick.

"We will reach Raikugi in four days if we keep pace," Kakashi replied. Raikugi was one of the more prominent trade-towns situated on the heavily used roads and had prospered because of it. Naruto noted Kakashi's sudden note of distaste at the mention of the town.

"You seem to be troubled, Sensei," he said, his tone puzzled, "Is there something wrong?"

Kakashi stared at him for a moment, both eye and body impassive. A perfect mimicry of the blonde if anyone bothered to compare.

"You will find out when you get there," The Jounin assured before leisurely reading his book. The hours passed by quickly and soon it was dawn. Not quite refreshed by the night's rest, Team 7 continued on. It would take another day of walking to reach the closest settlement.

The next few days brought them walking through one town after another. They were fairly large, their boundaries rivaling some of the larger central cities to the east. The streets packed with various shops and contractors even though the town's primary purpose had been to serve stop points for the trade caravans that were passing by to and from Earth.

Nights were spent with light conversation under a star filled sky, despite Sakura's protestations against camping out. She was aghast when Kakashi first announced to them that they would pass through the settlement and not stay for the night, though once he pointed out that a single room in the city inns for one night alone was the cost-equivalent of a highly paid D-rank, Sakura immediately shut up.

It was to the great surprise of everyone else, that Naruto had volunteered to cook for them. At first, the members of Team 7 were skeptical about the blonde's culinary skills, though that changed quickly once they savored the first bite. Who knew that Naruto had been capable of cooking up a scrumptious meal using what rations they had? Kakashi was now wondering how on earth the boy had managed to turn dry preserved meat into something even remotely tasty.

Soon, the days got darker and the surroundings bleaker with the grasslands giving way to dark and brooding forest paths. They were approaching their destination. And it was on the fourth day, as Kakashi predicted, that they entered the merchant settlement of Raikugi.

( I I I )

Thinking back to Kakashi's words three nights ago, he found himself understanding. To understand how Raikugi was like, one really needed to go there before anything else. And if there is one word that Naruto would use to describe it, it had to be _filthy_.

Unlike the previous towns, the streets were cluttered with rubbish and the buildings looked as if they were neglected for years on end, with moss and cracks adorning the structures. Its inhabitants didn't look much better either, though they were more of a hostile disposition than a one of neglect. The atmosphere within the town was tense, with everybody looking over their shoulder every second or so.

Quite used to the generally high standard of hygiene in Konoha, Sakura looked vaguely ill. Sasuke remained pokerfaced, though he was just better at hiding it than others. Naruto was the only one who remained unchanged, though there was a small frown on his face rather than the looks of disgust that held sway on his team-mates faces.

"The town had seen better days," Naruto stated as if he was a resident. Kakashi wouldn't be surprised if Naruto had read about the town in a book.

"Indeed it has," Kakashi said, voice bored and impartial to the pitiful scene, "That is, until the arrival of the bandit group which had practically seized the town. Almost all trade traffic between Earth and Fire must pass through here and it has created a gold mine that no raider would ever want to give up willing. Suffice to say, the general population has suffered for it."

"Then our mission is...?" Sakura asked, though she still looked disgusted at the streets and the overall unpleasantness of the town in general.

"We locate the bandits and destroy whatever base they have been using to keep out of sight. Sources say that there is a known member who frequents the bar, we will tail him" Kakashi said, tone bored, "No combat necessary; sneak in, plant a few explosive notes, get out. Simple really."

A woman dressed in a dark and attractive dress stepped out from a building with neon signs, quite close to them. She caught sight of Sasuke and blew him a kiss. She laughed when she saw the blush on his cheeks. The woman walked away towards a group of similarly dressed congregation of women. All of them, Kakashi noted, were all attractive in more ways than one.

"The hookers seem to like you, Sasuke," Kakashi said cheerfully to a heavily scowling Sasuke as Sakura fumed in the background. "Just don't be too attached to them."

Sasuke felt no greater urge to kill Kakashi than in that moment. Preferably consisting of rope, several kunai and that infernal orange book of his.

As if he could read minds, Kakashi immediately said, "Just kidding now. You don't need to glare that badly at me." Sasuke stopped his glares and switched back to his scowling.

"I suggest we move on," he said ignoring the boy, "Our target should be around here somewhere." He walked off into the streets and his team followed.

( I I I )

It took the better part of the day but Team 7 had found their man, an experience that none of Team 7 wished to repeat in the near future. Kakashi immediately used a Genjutsu on the target when it had been most convenient to. Now, they were following the hypnotized bandit through the thick and dark foliage. Since he was not ninja and under a Genjutsu, the trek was significantly longer than what they had expected.

Evening was well into effect, and the sun shone its last rays for the day before disappearing once more into the horizon.

They followed the man through the thick forest, darkness hounding their heels with every passing moment. But shinobi were born of the night and thus weren't deterred in their efforts at stalking their prey.

The man stopped at a clearing for no apparent reason. Team 7 was confused. '_Was this it?_', all of them thought. They didn't have to wait long to find out. Shuriken peppered themselves into the trees that they were hiding behind. They had been spotted!

"Ah!" The voice belonged to Sakura, who screamed as she was carried away by somebody. By the time, they had realized that, her voice was a faint whisper upon the wind.

"Naruto, go after her. Leave a kage-bunshin behind." Kakashi ordered. The boy nodded and disappeared into the woods.

Without so much a blink, Kakashi threw a kunai at the bushes, a low thud and poof signifying a hit. Silence reigned before the first plods of footsteps reached their ears. Looking around, they saw that mud clones, faceless and entirely composed of mire, starting to surround them.

Kakashi gave a quick nod to Sasuke's inquiring glance and proceeded to mow down the approaching mass with a Katon technique. Set on fire, the clones slowed and eventually dissolved, lifeless.

Kakashi noticed that two shapes were slipping away in different directions; Sasuke seemed to have the same thoughts.

"You chase after him," He pointed to the one fast moving towards the east, "I will catch up with you later."

Sasuke nodded, and disappeared with the Naruto clone in tow.

( I I I )

He stopped at a clearing five minutes later, trying to find out where his target had gone to.

Was it him or had it just grown darker? Sasuke asked himself as he scanned his new surroundings with caution. Naruto's clone was no where in sight, which didn't matter regardless, what good would a single clone do anyway? He frowned as he noticed a nearby tree distort and convulse, ripples which shouldn't be existing in the first place were beginning to appear and disappear erratic. Was it Genjutsu?

Kunai in hand, he lightly grazed his arm, pressing hard enough to draw a faint trickle of blood. The pain jolted him and everything which had been dulled and shady before was now was illuminated in stark clarity. Uchiha eyes were better suited to the night.

There was a rustle to his left and Sasuke threw his kunai in that direction. Laughter echoed all around before it localized into one singular point. Out from the shadows came a figure; tall, bulky and most definitely male. There was nothing special about him save for a Hidden Stone hitat-ate which dangled from his belt.

"Little boy, little boy," The man- no, shinobi purred, "Let's play."

Sasuke snarled. Nobody called him little. Ever.

Anger dictating his actions, Sasuke charged forward, his hands diving into a weapon pouch before popping back out again to fling several star-shaped projectiles at the man. They embedded themselves deep within his flesh with a wet thud, surprise and shock plastered on the man's features (To Sasuke's morbid satisfaction) before a poof of smoke revealed his target to be a tree trunk. His smugness turned into a scowl. That worthless nukenin pulled a Kawamiri on him!

His skin tingled with a sudden itch and immediately he leapt to the side.

"Omotai Genkotsu no jutsu! (Heavy Fist Technique)" The shinobi spiraled downwards, aiming to crush Sasuke. He missed, the attack sending large amounts of dirt and dust into the air. Even from afar, Sasuke could feel the sheer force that was behind the punch.

The smoke and dust cleared but the enemy was no where in sight.

It was then, in a brief moment of distraction on Sasuke's part, that the shinobi flickered into existence in front of him, a kunai held high up preparing to strike downwards into his chest. But Sasuke had finished the last of his hand-seals by then and promptly slammed his hands downwards.

"Doton: Yuuen Iwadeba no jutsu!"

Dozens of spikes erupted from the ground, fueled by a vehemence that almost seemed alive. The stone ninja leapt back in rapid succession, racing against time as the spikes continued to home in onto him, each second akin to another step towards death. He retaliated with a Doton technique of his own, slamming his fist into an area that was free from the unnaturally sharp spikes. To Sasuke's great horror, the spikes, which were doing a fine job of pushing back the nukenin, were stopped in its tracks even though he kept pumping chakra through his hands.

"Tsk, tsk," The missing-nin chastised, his hands wiping off the sweat from his face before he smirked at Sasuke, "You almost got me there. Children shouldn't be playing with such dangerous toys."

Having exhausted most, if not all, of his chakra in that last ditch attempt, Sasuke knew that he had to finish the fight soon or else. Strangely enough, he found himself thinking back to Kakashi's reasoning on Doton usage.

His words echoed clearly in that uniquely bored monotone of his, "_Despite its inherent usefulness, Doton techniques require an extensive and horrible amount of chakra to maintain. And if you're not careful, you may find yourself out before you know it." _

He knew better now.

Without any warning, clones sprung up through the ground, their arms and legs gripping and twisting the surprised nukenin with startling alacrity amid the blinding debris and dust. Sasuke felt the pace of his heart quicken in shock before he forced it into a relative calm once more.

He stood dazed for a moment or two before he felt a deep chill go down his spine. The clones were staring at him.

Sasuke laughed mirthlessly, before shaking off his lightheadedness.

Even as a clone, Naruto still managed to remind him of Itachi.

His hands hesitated for less than a second at what he was about to do. Having already lost his innocence, he performed the hand-seals and shouted out the words.

"KATON: GOUKAKYUU NO JUTSU!"

Oddly enough, the screams never once affected him.

( I I I )

When Sasuke had gone on ahead, he summoned up his nin-dogs and followed their lead. Soon, he reached the main encampment, filled with thugs armed with various weapons, all of them apparently waiting for him. One, however, stood out from the rest. All it took was a quick glance at the deep scratch on the man's hitai-ate to confirm his suspicions. The enemy had ninja. Missing-nin, obviously and a large number of thugs. Two dozen or so, in his case it seemed.

The mission was no longer a medium level C-rank. Now, at the very least, it was a B-rank. Which was fine by him. A small part of his mind began nagging at him about the safety of his students, who were still out there somewhere alone and defenseless. In a great sense of cosmic irony, a bright orange light suddenly erupted from the distance, and the ear-shattering scream that followed moments later made that part of him shut up. If Sasuke could hold his own for now, then so could Naruto, Kakashi reasoned.

The fight lasted no more than half a minute, ending rather anti-climatically when his hand finally lost its veil of ivory-turned crimson chakra which had, just a moment ago, ripped through his opponent's heart and left lung like wet paper. Strangely enough, the blood of his enemy sizzled and fused with his technique instead of just being assimilated without alteration. It was, Kakashi thought with a great amount of macabre amusement, a nice deviation from the norm.

The remaining thugs, after seeing their boss get offed with relative ease, fled into the woods.

Kakashi watched them go. Running wouldn't do much for them, especially against a ninja. Let them believe it would. Idly, he formed a seal with his clean and yet stained hands, creating a dozen or so copies of himself. Without blinking, they disappeared into the woods and soon, the sounds of steel clashing against steel and the groans of the dying reached his ears.

Of course, none of it bothered him. He had been doing this for more than a decade, after all. It was nothing new to him.

Then, a thought occurred to him and he suddenly found himself more worried about the shattered pieces of innocence that he was going to pick up sooner or later than the still present sounds of dying men.

( I I I )

He caught up to them, after the nukenin realized that he could not win against a contest of speed. Naruto felt the chakra link between his clones and him dissipate, the drain of maintaining them no longer a burden on him. They had served their purpose.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Sakura just by the tree not too far away, her jade eyes glazed and dulled.

Genjutsu, he thought.

They started fighting soon after that. It eventually stretched on; with Naruto using his knowledge to avoid being skewered at every turn while the other shinobi kept up his high tempo attacks. Both knew that whoever gets the first hit in will win. There was no illusion or glamour over that reality and Naruto knew. He was beginning to tire even though his body was still pumped up with chakra after using what seemed like dozens of Kage-bunshin.

In a desperate move, the other shinobi charged, hands enveloped with a sickly green chakra. Everything was going so fast, too fast and brief to comprehend before it whisked away from his grasp. Time stilled, and the last revelation revealed itself, long enough for him to realize one thing.

He was going to _die_.

Something within him snapped. And he moved.

The ground cracked as he stepped away at the last instant. The nukenin, too surprised by the act, failed to notice the blazing fist of crimson was closing onto him. He coughed up blood, looking down to see an arm through his chest, precious liquid life flowing down in endless streams from his body. With one gurgle, the shinobi became limp and silent.

The hellish energy aura around them faded from sight, and Naruto removed his hand from the body, the corpse dropping to the ground without so much a protest. The realization and implications of what he just did started to sink in.

He killed for the first time.

Naruto stared at his bloodied hand, fascinated as blood that was not his slowly trickled down the back of his palm. He made a mental note to scrub his hands until he couldn't see the blood once he got home. He felt...dirty.

He trembled as the brisk and cool evening breeze left as it passed and caressed him.

'**_YOU MADE YOUR FIRST KILL, YOU SHOULD BE PROUD.'_**

'_I suppose..._'

For some reason or the other, the words felt hollow to him. He did not _feel_ proud in any way whatsoever.

Tired, he walked over to the unconscious Sakura who chose that moment to wake up. Naruto, not quite drenched in blood but enough to make a person sick and presently reeking of terror and fear, was the last thing that Sakura needed or wanted to see, especially with her empathic abilities. She trembled uncontrollably as though she could see the faint outline of pure malice that shrouded his form at all times.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" She shrieked, grabbing a fallen kunai that was near by. He took one more step closer before a wet 'thud' reached his ears. A kunai was lodged in his arm, thrown by a shaky hand of a terrified girl. He pulled it out, feeling a sharp sting as he did before the wound closed .

Naruto was confused. He had done no harm to her and yet she fears him.

"I mean no harm-" He took another step.

"Go _away_." She whispered this time, though its loudness was on par to her previous outburst, shuddering from the waves of terror that radiated from him. This time, he stopped, somehow knowing that Sakura would do more than just throw kunai at him if he did otherwise.

"I will go get Kakashi-sensei." Naruto said hesitantly, watching as Sakura rocked herself forward and backwards, arms holding her legs as she mumbled incoherently to herself. Unsure of his choice to leave the girl alone and vulnerable, he created a Kage-bunshin and made it transform into Sasuke. He observed that Sakura was more at ease with him than with anybody else.

Upon seeing 'Sasuke', Sakura leapt up and rushed towards the clone, embracing it tightly as she proceeded to cry on its shoulder. Awkwardly, the clone tried to soothe the girl by rubbing her back to no avail.

Naruto gave them one last look before he ventured off to find the others.

* * *

A few Q&A before I begin ranting.

For those wondering about Naruto's little demonstration in the Hokage's office; yes, he gets to use it later in the story. And about Hinata's 'sudden' affection for our favorite blonde ninja, I'm planning to include a side story about that. Though I can safely say that her infatuation with Naruto in the fic isn't as bad as the one she has in the anime.

A/N: Once more, Unbeta-ed. Possible errors for both punctuation and scripting. My apologies for my lateness, though blaming it on school would at least give me some sense of comfort in that my tardiness was strictly due to external factors. Length and content-wise, this is one of the harder chapters for me to get the steam going due to the fact that I'm deviating from canon timeline at this point. This also increases the length and hence the publishing time since I feel the need to explain/characterize/dramatize in the parts where I use my ideas. Still, I feel that this chapter was rushed, especially with the way I handled the fight scenes so I may come back to redo them.

I will try to update at least once a week because from now, (till the next non-canon part anyway) its going to go according to the cannon timeline unless I see fit and feasible to add another 'Side Story'. I'm also wowed by the amount of reviews that Chapter 5 has gotten. Thank you to all who have left behind a comment, other tips and the like. It means a lot.

A lot of killing in this chapter, as you have been warned before, so no flames or anything about Naruto and Sasuke killing so soon. Remember, they are ninja, so there's no avoiding that aspect of their life. Hopefully this chapter meets your expectations, though I feel that I have neglected the city parts of the story (for good reason).

Writers block not withstanding, I think I have made the right decision to purchase my Narutimett Hero 3 for my PS2 console, since it provides all sorts of inspiration to the jutsus I'm going to have Team 7 learn. Feel free to ask any questions (though not too spoiler-related ones :P) and I will do my best to answer them. Once again, please leave a review or comment (or flame, if you wish), because they help me to write better.


	7. Chapter 7

"Blah" denotes speech.

_Blah! _denotes sound.

'_Blah'_ denotes thoughts.

'_**BLAH**'_ denotes Demon talking.

Note: Rereading the previous chapter, I think I made Naruto be apathetic to his first kill. Its not intentional and I hope to resolve it in this chapter. Added note: This is the last of the Filler Arc, so it _MAY_ be crappy.

Their mission complete, Team 7 journeyed back to Konoha. It was a success, though none of them came back completely unchanged. Sasuke looked the same as always, his face still fixated into a permanent scowl, though there was a touch of marring distraction if one knew where to look for it. Out of the three, Sakura seemed to be the worst one off, her hands hugging herself constantly as if to fight off a chill that no one else felt; her mind struggling to throw off the after-effects of the genjutsu that was placed on her. At the behest of the looks that Kakashi was throwing her, she said that she was fine, though with the way that her body keeps shaking and shuddering, none of the others had believed her. It takes a near fall to convince her to hitch a ride on the back of a black and featureless Kage-bunshin, courtesy of Kakashi.

The days spent on the road passed relatively quickly and soon Naruto found himself in front of Ichikaru's, just in time for the Dinner special, dusk already settling on the village. Having been dismissed by Kakashi, he found himself unwilling to go home just yet, despite being dead beat tired.

He could still see the blood on his hands every other moment or so, even though he had rubbed his hands raw just days before. The phantom stain just refused to go away, like the horrible feeling that had begun to swell in his bosom. His mind troubled, he was about to enter the ramen stand before a shout stopped him in his tracks.

"Ah! Naruto!" Iruka popped his head out from the corner of the street, hands apparently busy with a grocery bag, "How's the mission?"

Then, he noticed Naruto's hands, throbbing and so very red. "W-What happened? These look like-"

Naruto just stared blankly. "I couldn't get the blood off." Iruka looked incredulous for a second before it was immediately wiped away when he saw the very red but unbloodied hands, "But Naruto...there isn't anything on your hands."

"Yes, there is," He assured the man, his voice hinting frustration, "I can see it now."

Iruka stayed silent before he tentatively opened his mouth once more. "Naruto...did you do something that you didn't wish you did?"

"I," The boy looked away, frowning at something that only he could see, "...think I did. I don't know."

Naruto had an odd way of saying things sometimes, but the meaning had been clear.

He had killed for the first time, that much Iruka could gleam from him. There was only so much that he could teach and never would prepare his students for that one irrevocable moment in their life as a shinobi.

Iruka could sympathize; he too felt that gut wrenching twist on his first time, and that was when he decided that the role of a teacher would be suited for him. Seeing the light go out in a person's eyes was horrible. Knowing it was you who was responsible for it was worse. But to do it on an almost regular basis...

That was soul rending. He had seen friends ending up in the isolate special wards below the hospital. And it wasn't pleasant. He chided himself, for one shouldn't dwell on such thoughts. He turned his attention onto Naruto, who was looking down on the ground, apparently finding it very interesting.

"Does that make me a monster, Iruka-sensei?" he said, though it might as well have been a whisper with its softness.

"N-no!" The teacher tried to reassure the boy, "Of course not!"

'_Liar.'_, he thought, but didn't say it out.

Finding himself robbed of his desire to eat, he bid Iruka a good night and walked away, leaving him in the same stumped manner he had week before.

( I I I )

He dreamt a dream of obsidian black, and like many others he had dreamt before, he was alone in the vast emptiness. He had read of how dreams were filled with vibrant colors and some semblance of familiarity of the real world, no matter how strange and bizarre they may be.

But for as long as he could remember, not once did he have such a dream and the world of dreams tended to be monotone in its vivacity with the darkness always encroaching but never fully embracing him.

He waited until a ball of red flame burst out, adding to the blackness a shade of color that wasn't there before.

'**_YOU'RE TROUBLED.'_** He could hear the annoyance in the demon's voice.

'_I killed someone. How can I not be?'_

'**_IT WAS ONE MEASLY HUMAN LIFE, BOY.'_**

'_But I thought all life was sacred.'_

'_I remembered that you saved my life once, when I was naught a child.'_

He still remembers that day, and how utterly terrified he had been. That feeling never returned since, and he was grateful.

'**_THAT WAS DIFFERENT, KIT, I WAS LOOKING OUT FOR MYSELF. NOTHING MORE. END OF DISCUSSION.'_**

He blinked.

'_I don't want to kill anymore.'_

'**_DO YOU CHERISH THE FREEDOM YOU HAVE NOW?'_ **The question was imposing.

'_Yes, of course!'_ Naruto was confused at what the Kyuubi was hinting at. It often spoke in riddles that he wished he could understand.

'**_THEN, WOULD YOU PREFER TO ROT IN THAT CELL?'_**

'_What?'_

'**_IT IS SIMPLE; YOU'RE A SHINOBI. A TOOL TO KILL IF NEED BE. THE SPILLING OF BLOOD CAN BE AVOIDED, BUT HESISTATING WILL DO YOU NO GOOD EITHER. HOW MUCH YOU SPILL DEPENDS ON YOU, IN THE END.'_**

'_I don't have to like it...'_

'**_YOU SHOULDN'T, THOUGH I DID PREFER IF YOU DID.'_**

He didn't answer; he didn't need to.

'**_THINK ABOUT IT, AND MAKE YOUR CHOICE.'_**

With that, the great demon left him alone in the void, his consciousness slowly slipping away as he fell into a deep sleep.

( I I I )

Out of the three, he acknowledged that Naruto was the least likely to show up after the mission. Sasuke just grunted when asked about his welfare while he ascertained that the little genjutsu surprise didn't mentally damage Sakura, who was as of now, very fidgety; very suspicious behavior for a girl who he expected to ogle at the effeminate Uchiha at every possible moment.

Still, knowing about it and experiencing it was entirely two different things all together.

"Excuse me?"

"I would not be attending training today. My apologies." Naruto did a little bow in front of Kakashi. He didn't buy it.

"Hey, just wait a-" he said, bringing his gloved hand to grab the boy.

But before any of them could react, Naruto exploded into a plume of smoke.

"Figures, using a Kage-bunshin as his messenger..." Kakashi muttered under his breath, before he brightened up, "Oh well, I will check up on him later."

He turned to regard his two students, mentally noting that Sakura was still very fidgety, though it was coupled with discreet glances and jerky motions. From all accounts and experience, her body language practically screamed her desire to ask him something. Whatever it was however, was purely speculation up to this point, not that he had a foggiest clue as to what it was. He made a note to talk to the girl once the session was over.

But for now...

Even though he was short of one student, he wasn't about to let the rest cut any slack. Their recent mission showed how ill prepared they were for anything more than D-rank mission parameters, although technically they had fared exceedingly well for a team who had only recently been clocking in a dozen or so D-ranks. Hell, he even felt a small burst of pride in his chest as his team, _his_ team, had been able to complete a B-rank just after two and a half weeks of training.

The thought was very gratifying, to say the least.

Incidentally, he now knew how Gai felt when his team did something that was to be proud of. The thought lasted for a brief moment before Kakashi realized he had just understood _Gai_ of all people, and promptly felt the goose bumps rippling over his arms.

Best to forget that ever happened.

Smiling, he summoned up three clones of himself and proceeded to 'educate' his students in the ways of taijutsu.

( I I I )

They saw a malevolent glint passed through Kakashi's single eye, making both of them shudder for the briefest span of a moment. True to this, the training session was frankly one of the most tiring and rigorous of all she had gone through. Sasuke was actually panting by the end of it, though she wasn't any much better off herself. She was grateful that in her state of physical exhaustion, she conveniently forgot about what she had wanted to ask from her sensei.

Until yesterday, Sakura never fully appreciated the thought that while in Konoha, your safety was at least ensured. Genjutsu, it seemed was way more personal than the simple and yet effective Katon technique. The irony was that while a Katon technique could melt the flesh off your bones, and kill you in the process, Genjutsu made certain that you can feel the same amount of agony while being consciously aware that your were still alive and there was _more_ yet to come. It was capable of making liquid fear sink into your very being and rendered almost every moment awake into excruciating agony. A thousand times more efficient than ninjutsu due to the fact that while the will of a shinobi could resist the pain of the body, very few were unaffected by the discreet ravages that Genjutsu leaves.

Once was enough, and she never, _never_ wanted to experience it again.

And if the only way to avoid being a plaything for such frivolous, she would gladly learn the art, even though she had reason enough to detest it. But somehow, despite all her conviction, she lacked the courage to ask for the training.

She lingered on a bit after he had dismissed them, conflicted as to whether to run away or pluck up her courage and _ask_. The former seemed very appealing right now. But before she could act on the impulse, a voice stopped her.

"Sakura."

The girl in question stiffened in response.

"Don't you have something to say?"

At this, Sakura widened her eyes. How did he know!

Seeing the shocked expression on her face, he explained. "You were fidgety all this while, its quite hard not to notice that you had something on your mind."

"Eh..." She was hesitant, but she fought it down, driving it back to the pit of her stomach, "I want to learn genjutsu."

"Oh?" Kakashi propped a palm under his chin, in a manner which screamed boredom and light amusement. She had a feeling that he did this when he wanted to be serious. "Please...tell me why."

Sakura was silent for a while before finally speaking.

"I hate being...weak," She declared softly, struggling to allow herself this moment of truthfulness to last, "When I was caught in that genjutsu, it made me feel things. Things that made me wish that I was strong not to go through it." She gave herself a depreciating laugh. "It changed me in a way I suppose, because I now cannot bear to look at myself in the mirror," She grimaced slightly before continuing. "I never want to feel that again . I-"

Kakashi cut her off with a gentle wave.

"Well, I was going to teach you the basics sooner or later," He sighed, bringing his hands to his side, "But since you've the motivation...I guess now would be a good time as any." At his words, Sakura perked up, the gloom in her eyes almost vanishing, _almost_. Kakashi wordlessly performed a few hand-seals and almost immediately, a bowl of steaming hot ramen appeared over the tree stump nearby.

Sakura nearly jumped in surprise, and was now eyeing the recent apparition of noodle soup with great apprehension. There was a snap and the bowl disappeared from her sight just as fast as it had appeared. She blinked.

What the hell just happened?

She turned towards Kakashi who was looking the same as he always had; bored.

"That was Seishin Kouchi (Mind Craft)," he said in that monotone of his that made him notorious throughout the social circles of the village,"One of the three basic illusionary techniques that are the foundation of all Genjutsu. It is relatively simple to use, and as you have seen before, tricks people into seeing what isn't there in the first place. Think of anything, and I do mean anything, and people will think that they see it. The hand-seals are Bird, Boar, Dog, Sheep and Bird. Hold it as long as possible."

She nodded, before performing the hand-seals herself, albeit at a slower rate than what her teacher had demonstrated before.

Focusing her mind, she tried to conjure up an image of a fan. Her illusion did not immediately materialize like Kakashi's but the object began flickering into existence, which was a success in her eyes. Straining herself, she pumped and directed more chakra into her surroundings and the projection, striving to achieve a balance between the two. Too little into her projection, and the illusion would crumble but too much would only serve to distort the image.

It remained solid, looking real enough for anyone caught in her illusion to notice. It was slow at first, but gradually, she felt her body grow uncomfortably tense and feverish. She preserved on though, maintaining the illusion.

By the end of it, she was panting heavily, beads of sweat starting to glisten on her forehead. Having reached her limit, she released the illusion as she fell down on the soft grass, the illusionary fan crumbling into wispy strands of bright blue chakra that faded into the wind.

"As I expected." She flinched at Kakashi's unconcerned tone; after all, it was _her_ skills that he was dismissing even though he had that right as her teacher.

Her features turned bitter, angry at herself and at her sensei for being so apathetic.

Kakashi wasn't even in the least fazed, and it hit her hard how far she was from his level. "You realize that even with all the chakra exercises you've done, your reserves are just enough for one basic technique." The way he said it was not insulting, but it was however, the painful truth, no matter how much she wanted to deny it.

"Why? I thought that out of everything, Genjutsu needed the least chakra to use." She was annoyed at this point, seeing that her sensei overlooked such a basic fact.

"True," he nodded, "But that is only the case when the user has a finely honed control of chakra, or else I'm afraid that Genjutsu can use as much chakra as Ninjutsu if one isn't careful."

Sakura stayed silent at that.

"I must admit though, not many people can perform what you've done today," Kakashi said, and she felt a flare of pride in her chest. "You've potential," he added somewhat lazily, "though that doesn't mean that you can have it easy because of it. And to be honest, learning ninjutsu is going to be more beneficial in the long run. It is up to you in the end though-"

"I want to learn Genjutsu," She curtly cut in, before she hastily added in, "...please."

She couldn't see him smile, but she was sure he did. "Well, just let me finish," He cleared his throat. "Genjutsu is a subtle art, its secrets lying beneath its many hidden nuances waiting to be discovered."

"True, it does not suffer from the physical limitations that plague Ninjutsu and Taijutsu but that is both its strength and failing. Skilled masters can weave spells that can enthrall and kill at a whim. That is the power of illusions. But it requires your full and undivided attention, and even then, its benefits are not seen immediately. I will not lie to you, Sakura; many a shinobi had taken Genjutsu only to drop out half-way through. That is the difficulty of the art. I will not blame you if you choose to reconsider."

Sakura remained silent; she knew beforehand all of those facts, and she didn't let them deter her.

"So I will ask you once more," he said slowly, "Is that your choice?"

"Genjutsu." She said once more, allowing a tinge of annoyance creep into her voice.

"Are you prepared to follow what I say, no matter how absurd and ridiculous they are?" His tone was grim and serious, and Sakura had no doubt that he wasn't joking.

"Yes." She replied in a heartbeat, barely feeling the gravity of her choice.

"Good!" He smiled and tension eased away, "We will begin your training tomorrow." She slumped in almost palpable relief at his words, the fire and drive that fueled her minutes before dissolved once her task was completed.

"Sakura?"

"Yes?" She tensed, hands clenching the fabric of semi-skirt nervously.

"Give Naruto a chance. He was the one to help you out, you know."

She faltered for a second, feeling guilty. Although she was terrified of the boy, she couldn't help but feel ashamed at the way she treated him, even though he did nothing to earn her scorn.

"...I will try."

( I I I )

When Kakashi found Naruto idling in his flat of scrolls and books, he was prepared for anything. _Anything_. People he worked with for years snapped under the pressure of killing; he barely knew Naruto for a month, who for all intents and purposes, could be a mini-Orochimaru in the making, with the power of the Kyuubi to boot. The child was backed by the Sandaime himself, but what guarantee did his word have if this child snapped?

"You didn't come to training today," he began conversationally. Naruto turned his head ponderously. His eyes were blank before a spark of recognition flashed through them.

"Sensei." Naruto greeted, getting up. "Do you want some tea?"

"No," he said, shaking his head, "My visit will be short."

An uncomfortable silence reigned between the two, before Naruto spoke.

"Must shinobi always kill?"

"It depends, sometimes it becomes necessary."

The boy was silent for a moment. "Always then."

"I'm not saying that you need to kill everybody. Only when its necessary."

"What about the people before?" Naruto asked. Kakashi knew he was referring to the dead bodies he found on the forest, bleeding and so very dead.

"They could've ran; but they didn't and they've paid for it."

"I see."

"Naruto, you've to remember we are tools, a weapon for our clients to wield. We cannot afford to have emotions or else we will go insane."

"I do not like it." The boy said.

"You must, or at least, try." he urged, voice turning forceful. If Naruto was angry, he didn't show it.

"..."

"Think of it as protecting your precious people," The man said at last, "If you do not do it, they will die. It is a simple choice. You're a sword and a shield. Remember that every time."

He was silent for a bit before he spoke once more. "I will keep that in mind. Thank you."

Satisfied with his answer, Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving the boy to his own devices.

( I I I )

The next day came and Kakashi found himself with all of his students present. He was pleased to see that Naruto took him advice.

"Seeing that all of you've learned enough of the basics, I thought that it might be good to try something different today."

Biting into his thumb, he spread it across a scroll he had opened the second before. Two scrolls appeared in his hands with a small amount of smoke. Rolling in the summoning scroll and tucking it back into his vest pockets in one hand, he tossed the two at the boys who caught them gracefully.

"These are the last jutsu I'm going to give you as Genin. Master them by this week. After that, you will have to develop your own techniques after this. Of course, I will be able to help you if you need it." It was for formalities sake as he knew that Sasuke would rather die than openly ask for help. Naruto, on the other hand...well, nothing needed to be said about him.

"Go to the other training fields, one preferably far away from here." he made a little shooing motion with his hands, and Sasuke looked sour at being dismissed so...degradingly. "I will see you guys later."

When they both sprinted away, Kakashi turned towards the girl who was very confused.

"Why send them away?" She could help but ask her eccentric teacher.

"They would just get in the way," he replied with nonchalance, "Besides, there's no need for me to supervise them yet anyways. Leaves me more time to focus on you."

"Wha-"

"Now," he smiled innocently, before unveiling a whole stack of books under the guise of a tree trunk, the genjutsu glittering prettily as it was dispelled. "The first rule of Genjutsu is to never get caught in another's illusion." The irony was not lost on the girl, seeing that she broke that rule, though the circumstances of that were unfair towards her. Sakura reckoned that it was another one of her teacher's strange quirks to not so subtlely remind people of their own level of proficency while being arrogantly assured of his. However, he was still her teacher and she let the barb slide. No point in wasting time being annoyed at a person who has no sense of thoughtfulness, she supposed.

"But...," he waggled at a finger at her, "If you _do_ get caught, never fear! That's what the _Kai_ technique is for. Of course, there's another way, though I doubt you want to bite your lip every time you happen to get stuck in Genjutsu." He formed up his fingers into a simple array, left hand over the right, with the index finger pointing up.

Very suspicious that her teacher had already placed an illusion on her, she quickly copied the array, hands positioned exactly as Kakashi's .

Nothing happened.

"You're quick to act; commendable though your objective is _that_." He pointed to the respectable stack of books. It didn't take her long to find out why.

She blinked when one of the books shimmered, its edges sparking angrily before calmly settling. Kakashi's crinkled eye of amusement did not do anything to help still her stomach.

"I placed Genjutsu on those. And it is up to you to disarm them." His tone was insidiously cheerful, and it was at that point she wondered whether her sensei was a sadist. After a moment of consideration, she came to the conclusion that he was.

Something told her that she was in for a ride...

( I I I )

Trying to find Naruto after training had been a surprisingly difficult task. By the time the session ended, she felt so woozy that she could barely even walk. Kakashi's damnable illusions kept making her vision blurry. Though she managed to learn how to counter and disarm illusions by the end of it, she wanted to strangle Kakashi for the massive migraine he had given her.

She finally came upon him practicing a _Katon_ technique of sorts, embers of light hovering around him in a protective manner before rushing to explode on the bark of a nearby tree. He seemed to be fully emerged in concentration, the aura of menace and terror was barely discernible to her now, though she knew that it was lurking around.

Sakura knew that she should be grateful; knew in her gut that she should be. But for the life of her, her words of gratitude died whenever she saw him before. Fear was something that she associated with her mother, when she had first told her that she was becoming a shinobi; and it was also the first time her mother stopped yelling at her, which was a hundred times worst when she did. The life of a _Geisha_ was not for her, she had said then. And neither was the life of a shinobi, now that she thought about it.

Gathering her courage, she walked towards Naruto, who was now sitting under a tree, eyes closed and hands folded. After all, she promised Kakashi-sensei that she would try, right?

"Haruno-san," His voice pierced through the silence. "Do you have any business with me?"

At his question, Sakura fidgeted nervously. "Uhm...I just wanted to say thank you for saving me."

He blinked, something that she didn't expect him to do. "It was nothing." With that, he turned away, his eyes concentrating on his hands as they shifted from one seal to another.

She felt anger at his apparent disinterest. Was her life so meaningless to him? It was a simmering anger, one that had accumulated from a few days, one that was directed at him for causing her so much fear and terror without her actually knowing why. It reached the critical at that moment.

"Will you stop being so damn calm about it!" She shouted, "I'm sick of you having that damn unmovable mask that you call a face!" There was a brief spark from his aura at her words but she held on.

His next words took the anger out from her, though there was still a good deal left simmering, "I do not understand what you're saying."

"_What?_"

"Your anger, I do not understand it," he said quietly, "Nor do I understand why you're so upset with me."

"I said-"

"You misunderstand me," he said once more, "I _cannot_ understand what you feel. Only through your actions do I know."

The air around him rumbled with a low growl and she trembled. There was an uncomfortable pause.

"You fear me." It wasn't a question. And Sakura felt very cold as his words hit their mark. "Why?"

Composing herself, "There is something about you that is...disconcerting. I do not know whether it is you or something else, but I know there is something wrong with you. I can feel it in my skin."

"People fear what they cannot understand. I'm no exception." he said, "And if you wish to understand me to get rid of your fear...I'm not adverse to the offer, if that is your wish." Sakura seemed shocked at his words, her eyes disbelieving.

"Yes?"

It wasn't until his voice shaken her from her thoughts that she realized that he was still waiting for her reply.

"Well," She mumbled awkwardly, feeling very stupid on her part, "If you put it that way...I guess I will accept."

He smiled brightly, perhaps for the first time she had ever known him, and the tension dissipated, the unsettling pressure along with it. Sakura realized that maybe this wasn't such a bad thing after all.

( I I I )

A week passed quickly, and Sakura, Kakashi noted with great sadness, was improving greatly in terms of her illusion training, so much that his traps were ineffective. Still, it was fun while it lasted. She still hasn't managed to make him use one of his more advanced techniques, but that was fine; most Genjutsu users took a year or more to be able to form anything substantial.

Naruto, it seemed, was helping his pupil. It wasn't much but he suspected that she would not have made this much progress if not for the boy.

They were all progressing to some point, all of his charges displaying some semblance of teamwork during his training sessions. He doubted that anyone else except him (with the other possible exception being Gai) would feel a small prick of satisfaction if their students started spitting giant balls of fire at him simultaneously.

Still, they were fitting in quite nicely into the cog that was called teamwork. Quite confident that his team was ready, he appealed for another C-rank; this time he made sure that he, and by extension, his team, wouldn't get screwed over like the last time.

So when they gotten another C-rank in the form of escorting a bridge building drunk from Fire to Wave, he wasn't really surprised.

( I I I )

A/N: Unbeta-ed, possible errors grammar or otherwise. Had a bout of depression while writing this, so the delay was inevitable. Other factors may include procrastination, Fate/Stay Night and a general sense of annoyance at this chapter. A lot of the conversations in this chapter were meant to be more detailed but due to time constraints, I am forced to leave it as it is. The only thing that I was satisfied with was the genjutsu training Sakura received. Hopefully, I will find the time to edit and improve on this. Many thanks once again to everybody who reviewed before, the support is much appreciated. If you spot any errors, please do not hesitate to mention them and I will be quick to correct them. Once again, thank you.


	8. Chapter 8

"Blah" denotes speech.

_Blah! _denotes sound.

'_Blah'_ denotes thoughts.

'_**BLAH**'_ denotes Demon talking.

Note: Many thanks to Really Bad Fanfiction for pointing out an error. Fixed.

* * *

After having made introductions to their client, a red-faced bridge builder by the name of Tazuna who -judging from the sake bottle present in his hand during the introduction - was probably on his way to the wretched land of drunkenness, Team 7 were promptly dismissed from Hokage Tower, having been given the rest of the day off in preparation for their trip. The Hokage assured them that it was a simple escort duty; nothing too dangerous unlike their last high profile mission. Incidentally, Tazuna was fidgeting an awful lot when the Sandaime said this but all who were present merely passed it off as drunkenness.

At the entrance, Sasuke merely muttered a goodbye to the both of them while Kakashi had already disappeared off to who knows where. Sakura waved goodbyes to them energetically, as if making up for both his and Sasuke's lack of gutso. The girl was much more open with him now than ever, a consequence of the shared-lessons he had been giving her to improve her Genjutsu in exchange for sorely needed chakra control lessons. This new sense of openness was not unwelcome however, and he found it to be...pleasant, if not difficult at times. Both of them were mutually satisfied with the results.

Shuffling home, Uzumaki Naruto retrieved his rather worn but usable backpack before methodically filling it with spare clothes and items that he thought that could be of some use, which were mostly medicines that he concocted fairly recently during his free time. By the end of it, it was only half full though he didn't see any need to pack anymore. There was nothing else left for him to do now, save wait for dusk to come, but he did not relish the idea of wasting time. And so, he wandered out towards the outskirts of the village.

It was late afternoon, when the sky was dyed amber by the setting sun that Naruto found himself standing at the hill where the sky was most visible for all to see. Spread out on the soft patches of grass, two boys –one who was bulky with messy dark red hair, the other possessing a scrawny physique with equally rough hair- were cloud-watching. There was a shogi board, along with a respectable amount of snacks, located quite near to the duo.

As if alerted to his presence by the change in wind, the pineapple-haired boy turned, immediately noticing the newcomer.

"Hey, Naruto," Shikamaru called over, "Didn't see you for quite some time, you know. Wanna play?" He gestured towards the board with his thumb enthusiastically, while the portly boy next to him only shook his head with mock-admonishment.

"Hello, Naruto," Chouji greeted, before helping himself to a new bag of chips. "Shikamaru here was getting impatient for a rematch, you know. He thrashed Asuma-sensei totally today."

The boy in question merely ignored the comment, hastily setting up the pieces while Naruto gave a thin smile of amusement. The only way to galvanize Shikamaru into activity was to mention shogi, it was like him and his books really. Seating himself, Naruto made the first move.

Time passed and the birth of dusk came once again, and the trio parted ways from the hill of clouds, silently agreeing to meet whenever viable.

Shikamaru lost again, much to his displeasure.

( I I I )

Team 7 left the gates of Konoha the minute they were opened at the crack of dawn. All of them had packed light, intending to reach Wave by nightfall via the river systems. With a little by of luck, they might even manage to make it by late afternoon if everything went smoothly.

The three Genin were walking in front of Tazuna, with Kakashi taking up the rear. Sasuke was quiet, as usual, his eyes dark and alert for anything that might be out of place. He wasn't going to take any chances considering the last time they had received a supposedly 'safe' C-rank mission.

With Sasuke taking up the role of sentry for their little stroll, Sakura and Naruto found themselves with what was apparently, free training time. So when Naruto suggested a use of it, she was skeptical.

And she had every right to be. After all, her team mate had just volunteered to act as a metaphorical punching bag. For the past few days, the blonde had helped her immensely in training, pointing out things that were otherwise too abstract for her analytic mind to pick up right away.

Sakura tentatively cast the illusion that showed bowls of piping hot ramen.

She took care in her weaving, because she knew that placing too many illusions in such a short span of time would be disastrous to those on the receiving end. However, her worry was unfounded.

The illusion didn't even reach him, the chakra line that allowed her to control the illusion having been cut almost instantly the second she touched his mind.

"Try harder." The boy said without spite or ridicule. She nodded once. During their joint training sessions, she had gotten used to the soft monotone of his voice which she had once thought of as grating though now she considered it bearable. It was particularly frustrating however when he guided her with words that were supposed to bear encouragement instead of apathy, even if he did not mean it.

Dropping all her precaution, she did what she was told for she could not stop the feeling of inferiority that surged through her whenever he said those two words.

( I I I )

When Kakashi started to see floating trays of dango in front of him, he immediately looked at the culprit, just in time to see Sakura form another seal. This time instead of dango, he saw little orange books with wings attached to the edges that begun to float out in front of his vision.

He recognized the design and size of the book; how could he have not? It was the same one he was holding now. However, despite their similarities, there were some very notable differences.

Instead of a 'Restricted' stamp, however, there was an animated version of himself, barely visible due to the size of the cover but it was large enough for him to see. He knew that it was him as no one else could've had silver hair like his. The mini-Kakashi was giggling over a much smaller replica of the book, his cheeks tinged with red as he continued flipping the pages. Anyone who was above the legal age limit required to purchase the book would know why.

He tried not to twitch visibly.

"Ne, Sakura-chan," he said with as much cheerfulness as possible, "Would you mind not casting Genjutsu on me?"

The girl nodded sheepishly before resuming her bombardment onto her teammate. With a quiet sigh, Kakashi returned to his reading.

Sakura had mastered the first component of Genjutsu, _Joukei_ or Sight in layman's terms. It was easiest of the three basics to master and was also incidentally a stepping stone to the more difficult aspects of Genjutsu, namely Sense and Feeling. Her skills were now good enough to maintain multiple and elaborate copies of an illusion together, a far cry from the one plain illusion that she was capable of only a week prior. Of course, what she was doing now was completely wasteful and useless in a combat situation but it was a good exercise to test her abilities so he allowed Sakura to continue with her little game. Genjutsu not only required skill but imagination as well for it to become truly effective.

They had to be, seeing that they were capable of creating either Heaven or Hell at their slightest whim.

He caught sight of two puddles as they walked down the road, and he immediately became suspicious. Without missing a beat, he strolled past the puddle, well behind his trio of Genins and their client.

Without warning or notice, chains whipped across the distance, binding Kakashi with a mass of sullied steel.

The two ninja laughed, their voices distorted by the filter mask they wore. With a sharp pull, the razor sharp chains tightened with tremendous force powered by the motors on the forearms. Kakashi screamed as he felt the steel bite into his flesh, before he was ripped apart in a swift moment later.

"Kakashi-sensei!"

Without stalling, they leapt towards Sasuke who was the nearest, throwing their chains towards him, their metallic arms poised to strike his chest. No such luck as the boy avoided their lunge and snuck in a counterattack of his own. Despite being battered aside by the sharp blows, the duo continued their assault, forcing the Uchiha back lest he wished to be gutted by the sharp steel talons mounted on their hands. Then all too sudden and abrupt, one disengaged from the fight, sprinting past the boy towards Sakura just as he received a glancing blow.

Sasuke neither had the time nor the opportunity to care, sending a swift kick towards his opponent. He had to believe in Naruto and Sakura for now. Sparing a glance towards them, he saw Naruto and the other ninja engage in brutal melee combat. The blonde was fast but his opponent was faster, and he managed to slip past him with liquid fluidity. It was obvious that his target was Sakura and the trembling man behind her.

But just as the claws were within reach...the nin fell, downed by several well placed blows to his gut, neck and knees, and a unexpected voice spoke loudly.

"Well now, did you guys miss me?"

Standing there nonchalantly and surprisingly whole, Kakashi held in his grip their would-be assailants, his eyes displaying the eternal boredom that he was famous for. Not too far off in the distance, Kakashi's torn and woefully unsalvageable _Icha Icha_ laid on the ground.

"Darn, and that book was new too, aren't you feeling regretful?" Kakashi asked the ninja caught in his grip. When the nuke-nin did not respond, he twisted the unarmored arm of his captive, enticing a pained groan which seemed to satisfy Kakashi.

Sakura didn't know whether to hug him or punch him. Here she was scared sick and all that idiotic excuse for a teacher could care about was a stupid perverted book? He was her teacher after all...but still, THAT was too much. She then did what any other female in her position would've done.

A second later, Kakashi found himself entreated to a rather vivid illusion of him, a rubber duck and several other uncomfortable looking objects that were about to be shoved into a VERY uncomfortable place.

"Good to see that you missed me that much, Sakura." Kakashi said rather cheerfully, as if he didn't receive the particularly insidious image from his student, who was at the moment, currently fuming.

He then nodded his approval to both Sasuke and Naruto, the former already having finished his fight with his opponent and was in the process of tying him up with wire. Kakashi then turned to Tazuna who was now fidgeting and looking very nervous.

"Well then, Tazuna-dono," The Jounin started pleasantly with a crinkled eye, "You better start explaining, _really_ fast."

( I I I )

After his tale (or rather, his not so subtle attempt at guilt-tripping everyone), Kakashi decided to continue the mission. Tying the two missing-nins together for the ANBU to collect them, they set off once more.

There were two reasons for this. The first was the policy that Konoha had devised for such situations; should a mission be re-evaluated as being higher as it should be, the shinobi in question are generally recommended to complete it if it is within their scope of ability. The second reason was somewhat connected to the first and her been the prime factor as to why he continued the mission the first place.

His team fared well enough by staving off the Demon Brothers of Mist, a pair of missing-nins specializing in blitz and ambush tactics, showing off the fruits of the training they had gone through. That alone had proven that his faith in his students was not misplaced. Sakura had not been able to play an active part in it, though he knew what her level in Genjutsu was and accepted it. He wasn't lying when he said that it would take time for her to blossom.

Unlike the other two on the team.

Sasuke was swift and dangerously efficient and while Naruto executed his moves with the traits, they were far more precise and calculated. Kakashi had no doubt that every ounce of strength Naruto put forth was painstakingly measured so as to avoid waste. Both of them had developed nicely regardless, and he entertained the thought of entering them in this year's Chuunin Examinations for a moment. But for now, he dismissed the thought for later reference; they had a mission to complete, after all.

They had reached the main river channel where a boat was waiting for them. Silently, they boarded the boat and soon, the clear weather gave way to a misty atmosphere, a thick fog settling around them like a veil. Almost immediately, the man maneuvering the boat shut off the engines, signaling for them to keep quiet, before using a paddle to propel the boat forward.

Sakura could not help but feel curious. "What was that about?"

"The whole area is under surveillance by Gatou, and his lackeys are instructed to kill off any trespassers. So if you want to live, keep that pretty mouth of yours shut so that we all can make it in one piece." The man gruffly replied, and Sakura looked offended for a second before becoming quiet.

They passed an incomplete stone bridge, entering one of the lower arches of the smaller connecting bridges into the mainland. Though it was in its infancy, Kakashi was certain that it could support the bulk of a hundred or so wagons at a time. They alighted off at one of the makeshift docks and with a curt goodbye, the man left with his engine roaring.

"Now, shall we go on," Kakashi cheerfully asked, "Tazuna-dono, if you may?"

The route they were on was beset by thick vegetation on either side, providing ample, if not excellent spots perfect for an ambush. Though he did not think that they would be attacked twice in a row, Kakashi preferred believe otherwise.

Once again, his hunch proved correct when a huge flying sword came at them. All of them ducked, letting it embed itself into the bark of a tree. A second later, a figure blurred into existence, on top of the handle of the giant sword.

Kakashi recognized him.

"Well, if it isn't Momochi Zabuza-kun, Missing-nin of the Hidden Mist."

Zabuza was a tall and lean man; his upper body was not clothed, showing off the taut muscles in his forearms and abdomen. He was clad in camo-pants and boots, his face was covered by a face mask, very much like Kakashi's, with his hitat-ate wrapped around the side of his head.

"Heh," The man known as Zabuza snorted, "And you appear to be Sharingan Kakashi, what luck!" He then crouched, his hand taking a hold of the hand of his sword. "Still, my apologies but the old man's mine."

"Surround and protect Tazuna-dono," Kakashi ordered simply, "Do not fight unless strictly necessary."

When he stood and did nothing else, Zabuza looked affronted. "What? No Sharingan?"

"Well, if you live up to your name, Demon of the Mist, then perhaps I might take you up on that." The silver-haired Jounin replied in turn, causing the missing-nin to laugh in response.

"I will make sure I will do my very best to make it so!" He arched his back, preparing to leap at Tazuna before he stopped when Kakashi blocked his path. "Tch, guess I got to fight you first eh?"

Without any warning, Zabuza and his monstrosity of a sword disappeared in a blink of an eye, reappearing over at the nearby lake, his feet standing on it as if it were solid ground. He did not move, save place his left arm vertical to his body and his right into an activation seal just in front of his mouth.

"Ninpou: Kirigakure no jutsu."

The area which was foggy before turned even thicker as fog rolled over the lake and onto the ground. They could not see past three feet, much less Zabuza who has vanished with the fog.

"This is bad...looks like I've to use it after all..." Quickly, Kakashi rose his hitat-ate that had been covering his left eye, revealing a long vertical scar that ran through the blood red eye he sported. But it was not just any old eye; it was the Sharingan. And it was the first time Sasuke was shocked. Was Kakashi-sensei an Uchiha...?

But he had no time to think when Zabuza suddenly sprung from the fog, his sword intent on him and the old man behind him. But before he could bring his sword to bear, Kakashi grappled him with extreme prejudice, a kunai shoved into Zabuza's back as he did. However, he did not notice the figure behind him.

"Sensei, behind you!" The body he held turned into water, and Kakashi stood rooted for a second.

But a second was all Zabuza needed.

_SLASH!_

Kakashi looked surprised for a moment before his features took on a more liquid quality. It was then the missing-nin noticed something off. His palms were wet. A moment later, he felt water splash against him with Kakashi no where in sight.

Now it was Zabuza's turn to look surprised. '_Mizu Bunshin? Did he copy it with just one glance!'_

"It's over." A glint of blackened steel appeared just beyond the corner of his eye. Zabuza stiffened in response.

"Oh really?"

A smirk was all the warning Kakashi recieved before he was thrown head first into the lake, various points on his body now burning with an intense pain. Though Zabuza did not attack straight away as he thought he would, Kakashi wasn't going to take any chances. He tried to move but his legs failed him, the water around him becoming especially heavy...and dense. Panic entered him as he realized what was going to happen, but before he could do anything, he was immediately raised from the water, suspended within a glob which had engulfed him only moments before.

It was at that moment when Kakashi began bleeding from multiple lacerations he did not remember receiving.

"Hmm, I see you have tasted my blade technique, quite lovely isn't it? You wouldn't know that you've been cut until much later, and by then, you would be too weak to fight back." Zabuza reappeared at his side, his arm deep within the crimson glob. "And here I was being worried about your skills...you're not so tough after all, Kakashi. Well, my clone can take care of you. So sit tight and watch." The man let go of the glob, and in his place, a perfect replica of himself morphed from the water below.

The situation was grim, with Kakashi incapacitated and Zabuza himself after them, any other Genin would have broken by now. But they three weren't just any ordinary Genin.

Naruto glanced at Sasuke and he nodded. They formed seals, before letting out two large spheres of fire. The fiery projectiles raced across the distance, their heat scorching the very ground below them. It was almost surreal that Zabuza seemed content to just stand there and watch the attack which would herald his death if they met him head on.

Then just as they were about to hit, Zabuza swung his sword in an intricate pattern of parrying, rending the two fireballs into embers a scant second later.

"Heh, is that all you got?" He asked, before planting the tip of his blade onto the earth, which sizzled due to the immense heat emanating from the sword.

"How...?" Sasuke murmured to himself, but not as soft as he would have liked for Zabuza heard him, attesting to his extremely acute sense of hearing.

"This baby here dispels chakra, in whatever form it takes," he said, patting the rapidly cooling blade, "Quite a handy trait, don't cha think?"

He saw several kunai whizzing towards him and he shifted his position. Even though he was out of their path, his gut was screaming for him to move. It only took an instant for him to find out why. Air shimmered before revealing the kunai he thought he had dodged while the ones he did simply vanished with a faint afterglow of chakra.

'_Genjutsu!'_

Because of the sudden appearance of the projectiles, Zabuza only managed to parry all but one which cut his cheek. His fury filled eyes turned to find the culprit. The two brats who threw the kunai were not his targets, though they were getting higher on his list of obstacles to destroy. No, what he wanted now was to find the damnable Genjutsu user who allowed the kunai to scratch him in the first place. His gaze finally settled on the girl whose hands which were locked into a standard Genjutsu array.

How careless he had been, for a simple rookie _girl_ to slip in an illusion.

The insult was too great for him to bear.

Fuelled with rage, Zabuza leapt with surprising nimbleness for his size, his sword ready to deliver a mortal wound.

"You damn girl!"

But before he could cleave her, two Fireballs came cascading towards him, forcing him to cease his attack. Another two more came at him, though this time he had not the luxury to dodge. Performing the same intricate pattern he did before to dispel the jutsu, he promptly flipped back on the still waters of the lake before they could launch another salvo. As soon as his feet landed, he began making seals at a rate which was considered inhuman.

"Since you brats like fire so much, let's see you did with this!" He shouted for them to hear.

Bubbles began to disturb the surface of the lake, and for every passing moment, it began more and more vigorously. At its climax, the water parted, giving rise to a large mass of water in the shape of a dragon. The dragon gave a shrill screech, before launching itself towards the trio and their client. But as it was hurtling towards them with the grave promise of a swift death, Naruto whispered something inconceivable.

"_Suiton: Suiryuudan no jutsu_."

The impossible happened.

Another dragon – an exact replica of the one that was about to drown them all- conjured itself from the great lake, at triple the speed which Zabuza had done and slammed itself into Zabuza's dragon. It jarred to a stop, howling as it entered its death throes before finally dieing as it reverted into water once more.

"Impossible..." Zabuza muttered, all the while watching as a Genin countered his attack with the same attack of his own. He was cut short from his awe and fear however when he felt a sharp pain blossoming across his shoulder blades. Whipping his sword by instinct, he caught a glimpse of Kakashi, who was battered and bleeding heavily but still alive.

"Yo." The Leaf shinobi said once before driving his sandaled foot into Zabuza's gut. With an angry scream, he swung his blade but Kakashi already had retreated to the safe vicinity of his students.

Looking at the angry missing-nin before him, Kakashi smiled.

"Ah, I will have to thank my adorable little students later," he remarked with mirth, "They really distracted you there." Blood was from his face but Kakashi casually wiped it off. "I would like to let you know that the same trick will not work on me twice."

And then, almost as if he was bored, he spoke, "Now then...shall we continue?"

"Che, this is getting a little too much for me..." Zabuza grimaced, hands forming a long string of seals, "I'm afraid we will settle this later. Enjoy."

Finishing the last seal, he yelled out, "Suiton: Daibakufu no jutsu!" A tidal wave erupted before him, rushing to engulf everything in its path. Waving, Zabuza fled into the nearby forestry.

Almost instinctually, Sasuke jumped in front of them, slamming his hands to the ground with haste. "Doton: Yuuen Iwadeba no jutsu!" A high and wide barrier jutted from the ground quickly and Sasuke was grateful he mastered the technique just as the waves crashed onto it, absorbing the fatal shockwave meant for them. Though they were all wet, it was much preferable than the other possibility had he not done it.

Kakashi was in bad shape, and even now, blood flowed freely from his wounds. Whatever Zabuza did, it had been effective for Kakashi began to stumble. He regained his balance however, just when he was about to tumble.

"Well then," he turned to his students, as if completely unaware of the large gashes that peeked through his torn fabric, "That was...tiring. I will leave the rest to you."

And then, almost anticlimactically, Kakashi promptly fell face first into the water.

* * *

A/N: Unbeta-ed. Tired and in need of sleep. Many apologies for the delay. Will edit when I have the time. Reviews are welcome. Thanks. 


	9. Chapter 9

"Blah" denotes speech.

_Blah! _denotes sound.

'_Blah'_ denotes thoughts.

'**BLAH**' denotes Demon talking.

Just a pre-chapter note...(stares at the 70k+ hit count) I didn't expect so many people to have actually read my humble works...wow. I don't know what to feel. (goes into Gai-Tear mode) Edited on 1st September. Fixed the large blank from the last edit.

* * *

Though the fog was thick and confining his vision range to only a few feet in front of him at any given time, Zabuza knew where everything was instinctually. Obstructions that the trees posed to him were of no consequence. 

He had not wasted any time in fleeing the scene, taking his last glance at the group as an avalanche of water crashed into them with resulting splash obscuring them from his view.

Suddenly, he stumbled, the inertia acting on him causing him to lose his balance momentarily. Leaning on the tree, he then planted his sword a good length into the trunk. Taking care in shifting his weight onto his uninjured left, he sat down carefully. He then gently prodded his leg, causing a spasm of pain that frazzled his nerves.

'_That bastard Kakashi! Somehow, I know that he's responsible for this!' _

It was fortunate that he was near the hideout when his leg acted up or it would have taken him a few hours of travel to reach it if it died on him earlier. Entering the large hut with a noticeable limp, he was greeted by a figure obscured within the shadows.

"Welcome back, Zabuza-san." A soft voice said through the darkness. "Did you get them?" A cup of warm tea was offered to the man, which was promptly taken in exchange for his large meat cleaver of a sword.

"No, they have the Copy Ninja on their side. He is as good as they say," He replied, accepting the proffered drink, "The brats that were along with him were decent surprisingly." Zabuza drained the cup before passing it back to the figure who nodded demurely.

"I see," The figure trailed off, inspecting his body, "Let's have a look at your leg, shall we? It wasn't wise of you to try to hide your condition from me, Zabuza-san." The shorter figure led him to a small wooden chair where he sat and placed his wounded leg onto a nearby stool.

The figure prodded his leg.

The man let out a sharp hiss in response. "Try not to do that again." The figure remained quiet while gathering a few bottles from the nearby shelves. Performing a set of seals which illuminated his hands in a pale green light, he placed them on the now swelling appendage.

"The chakra lines in your leg have burst," The figure said in wonder before resuming his examination by following the visible bulge of veins, "It is nothing major and it's nothing that a few days of bed rest and medicine cannot cure. The most surprising thing was that the Copy Nin seems to have at least some advanced knowledge in Medical Ninjutsu...and it takes at least four years of training to produce such effects..." There was a hint of interest in his eyes as he tapped and prodded the leg, sending mild jolts of pain across his entire body.

"Is there anything else, Haku?" There was a brief undertone of annoyance in his voice at Haku's enthusiasm in what seemed to him as continual and useless prodding on Haku's part.

"Aside from that, it also seems to have multiple fractures," Haku paused, "It would take a few days for it to heal completely. As such, I would recommend complete bed rest during this time, Zabuza-san. You should sleep now because the healing process requires it." He presented the man with a cup, probably containing a sleep potion. Zabuza downed it and immediately began to feel drowsy.

Leaving the man enjoy his last few moments of consciousness, Haku left the room, in search of the tonics he had made before.

"I'm so going to kill that one eyed bastard..." He muttered just before darkness caught up to him.

( I I I )

It was dark, he realized.

And it feels so foreign too, a thin raspy voice in his mind whispered.

His shinobi instincts kicked in and he did the first thing that came to mind.

He moved, gasping as the entirety of his body suddenly exploded into a world of pain. Nerves that he never knew existed screamed with abuse as he subconsciously commanded his body to move. A few years away from the ANBU did nothing to lessen his paranoia and the recent memories of the fight, along with his subsequent collapse came crashing back into his mind, causing him slacken his muscles and relax if only briefly.

He opened his eyes, light beaming down almost painfully into them. He winced, causing an uncomfortable ache to envelop the entirety of his being. His vision was blurry; probably due to lack of use during the time he was put out of commission. It sharpened soon after, and Kakashi found himself bandaged up like a mummy, with rusty red splotches of dried blood adorning various parts of his bandages like medals.

"You've been out since yesterday." A monotonous voice to his immediate right spoke and he turned. "You suffered internal bleeding, and it was very fortunate for us that we were close to our destination. You wouldn't have made it otherwise."

'_That's a nice thought.' _He mulled silently, "So, I assume that this is Tazuna-dono's residence."

"Drink this." The blonde handed him a cup, which he eyed warily. As if reading his thoughts, Naruto said, "It's to numb the pain. You're in pain, are you not?"

"Since when could you brew medicine?" The man asked, his sharp but awfully groggy mind realized, desperate to exercise itself after hours of idleness.

Naruto gave him a look. "I learnt what I could from the scroll you gave me."

"Ah." Kakashi blinked, vaguely remembering that it had been about general medical information. '_Fair enough.'_

His curiosity satisfied, Kakashi proceeded to drain the cup through his face mask before immediately stiffening. It took almost the entirety of his training not to vomit the concoction.

"_What_ is this _stuff_?" He managed to gag out, his eyes watering from the multitude of gut-wrenching flavors.

"Medicine." Naruto said simply, handing Kakashi a glass of water who gladly accepted, "It's a mixture of the Blood Replenishing Pill and _Umui no Cha_; not the most drinkable thing you would find, I admit, but it works well enough nonetheless."

It was at this point that Kakashi considered Naruto to be the master of understatements. True, it had worked, exceptionally so, if he could say so himself. But suffice to say, its taste was less than pleasant, bordering on vile even. He would have happily taken a far less effective elixir if only to avoid the tongue searing experience, but once he noticed that the excruciating pain that had been present until then had subsided into a mild ache, he quickly re-evaluated his opinion of Naruto's seemingly miraculous, albeit fouling tasting, medicine.

Not giving the glass of water a second glance, Kakashi quickly chugged it down, washing away the vile taste of the potion from his mouth.

"Oh and before I forget, you'll need to drink the tonic every two hours for the healing effect to continue, or else your body would start bleeding again." The boy cautioned, speaking as if he was a physician of many decades. Kakashi was mute before he realized the implication of his student's words.

It was then he noticed, to his horror, that there were two more pitchers to the side of his bed, filled to the brim with the same murky black liquid he ingested before. It didn't help calm his stomach when it gave off a rather malefic looking bubble.

"Was it supposed to do that?" He blurted the words straight out from his thoughts.

Naruto noticed the subtle twitch in Kakashi's eye and gave an unconcerned shrug. "If it numbed the pain and healed your body, does its appearance really matter?" He said as he covered the jug.

Kakashi visibly wilted, and was unconvinced. He tried to wave his despair off, forcing himself away from thoughts of imbibing Naruto's concoction. "By the way...", he looked around, as if realizing something, "Where are Sakura and Sasuke?"

Naruto remained silent for a while before answering, "They're currently guarding the house, since we weren't sure whether Zabuza would attack again when you were out."

"Call them in," He said, sitting upright as he did, "I've something to say to all of you."

A moment later, his students gathered before him, seated upon the matted floor with their attention on him. Discreetly, he gave the duo that came in a quick appraisal. Both of them had a haggard look about them though Sakura's was more pronounced than Sasuke's, with the first hints of bags lining her eyes.

"Seeing that he had the complete attention of his students, Kakashi began, "From here on out, this mission has been scaled up to A-rank. With the appearance of Zabuza, the risk involved in this mission has doubled, if not tripled."

"We'll be unable to ask for another team to reinforce us nor are we allowed to be relieved from this mission because it's impossible for any of my messenger summons to transverse the distance to the village for the next few days."

Sakura, though tired, had a curious glint in her eye which Kakashi expected from her. The girl was always asking one question or another when she wasn't preoccupied or dead tired. "Why?" She asked, as per Kakashí's expectations, "I thought that messenger summons were used precisely for that reason."

"Have you forgotten that tonight and the next three subsequent nights fall under _Jikoburashi_? Even if I were to exact one of the three commandments that are entitled to me as a Summons master, my summons would just simply refuse me. Though I do not know why, every other Summon has acted this way on these nights. Perhaps, these nights have a particular significance to them." Kakashi answered with an easy countenance, in contrast to his rather worrying words.

Jikoburashi. A period of four subsequent nights where the moon would be full. Nights in which the boundaries of spirit and material realm overlap and become one, according to the more superstitious folk. There had been many an incident on these nights where people have vanished, being _spirited away_, or as the people of the continent described. Being instilled with childhood stories of the supernatural from their parents, Sasuke and Sakura had a look of slight worry, or rather Sakura looked apprehensive while Sasuke had a slight frown on his face. Naruto was passive as always, acting as if he wasn't in the least affected by the recent developments.

The atmosphere in the room was tense, either from the realization that they were on their own for the three days or the fact that the next three nights were of a supernatural sort. Even though, they had somewhat expected that the mission had become more dangerous with such a notorious character like Zabuza, to hear it from Kakashi who acted flippantly no matter what the situation, it was quite a wake-up call indeed.

As if sensing the sudden tenseness that enveloped his students, Kakashi brought a finger up to his face in mock realization. "Oh, don't worry. I get the feeling that we will have a few days of preparation at least."

"How would you know that, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked forcefully with a tinge of curiousity. Kakashi just crinkled his eye in response

"Just call it a hunch." He winked.

( I I I )

With Kakashi incapacitated until the next day at the very least, Team 7 was left to their own devices. The first thing all of them did was to catch up on their sleep, as Naruto had been brewing countless tonics and medicines while the other two stood guard in rotating shifts. Needless to say, they were very tired.

It was only in the late afternoon that they finally woke up, and though unsure about their sensei's claim to a few days of respite, they nonetheless wanted to begin their training as soon as possible. Tazuna had recommended a spot when asked about a suitable place for training. It was located relatively far the western part of the region where the village and the half-completed bridge were located, he said, but it was devoid of anything that might interrupt their training.

It took them sometime to find the spot that Tazuna had spoken of and when they reached it, afternoon was threatening to give way to evening. What they found was a beautifully crafted lake surrounded by misty forests. It was tranquil save for the occasional sounds of forest animals. Despite the time it took for them to reach their destination, all of them marveled at the beauty of it, one way or another.

Sakura took in the sight of the landscape, sighing as she did. "This is the perfect spot to practice my Genjutsu...now if only this was in Konoha..." And with that, she quietly slipped away towards the more isolated edges of the lake, leaving the two boys alone. Naruto was about to leave before a hand gripped his shoulder tightly. He turned to look at the Uchiha.

"I've been meaning to ask you something..." The boy said, directing an unpleasant expression at Naruto, "Did Kakashi teach you that technique?"

"What technique?"

Sasuke scowled, his grip tightening further. "Don't play dumb with me, Naruto. You know what I'm talking about." At Naruto's continued blankness, he sneered and folded his arms, "The Suiton jutsu you pulled off when Zabuza was about to pulverize us with exact same one."

Understanding dawned upon the blonde. "What about it?" He asked in turn.

As if made more irate by the response, Sasuke repeated his question with gritted teeth, his scowl deepening further "Did Kakashi teach you that?"

"No," The blonde said, "To be honest, the first time I had seen it was when Zabuza performed it."

Shock was apparent on the Uchiha's face before it devolved into anger and finally that too vanished as his face hardened into a steely visage. Onyx orbs regarded the blonde for a few moments.

"Fight me. Now." Was all the warning the blonde got before a quick jab was launched at his face. Naruto dodged the blow instinctually even though his mind was in a whirl at the sudden hostility of his teammate.

A kick came precariously close to his chest as he jerked backwards to avoid it. The effect of surprise wearing off, Naruto shifted his legs into a basic defensive posture which did nothing to deter the Uchiha who closed the small gap with a flurry of punches.

Because the only flat ground available were that of the shorelines of the inland lake, Naruto, who was used to fighting within open and vast expanses, was constricted and awkward in his movements. Sasuke, no matter what the terrain, was at his best and it was showing through his unchecked advancement through the defenses the blonde had put up.

Naruto grabbed the incoming fist, side stepping as he did before gracefully flipping his opponent by the use of momentum. The raven haired boy clumsily landed on his feet, the suddenness of the move taking him by surprise. Not wasting any time, he broke out of the hand lock and performed a sweeping kick.

Foreseeing such an action, Naruto jumped. It was the worst thing he could have done.

Sasuke smirked, not giving Naurto any time to react as he sent a high kick towards the now defenseless blonde...who '_poofed'_ into grey smoke. Eyes widening in surprise, Sasuke turned, only to receive a sharp blow to his solar plexus. The next second, he noticed that he was airborne, courtesy of multiple clones of Naruto Air.

He landed quite well, given the circumstances, though he received a good deal of scratches from the landing. Noting the distance between him and the blonde, Sasuke allowed himself a smirk. It was time to unveil his trump card against that water technique of his.

"**Katon: Doudou Hotaru** **no Jutsu! (Grand Firefly Technique)**" Fire poured from Sasuke's hands that doubled as a funnel from his mouth, and soon a vast amount of misshapen flame hung in mid-air, towering over its master, before it blasted off towards Naruto. As it advanced towards him like a phantom-like specter from the nether realm, he could see it gain the shape of a firefly. Naruto was prepared to dodge it, knowing that it would miss him if he moved. But then it did the impossible.

It divided and dived towards him, the clone of the firefly the same size as the original.

Surprise was evident on his face and he performed the only water-based technique that he knew. "**Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu**!" The dragon materialized itself near the front of Naruto, the bulk of its body bending over to protect its caster as the two creations of flame rushed to consume all in their path.

Red fire met liquid blue before there was a loud explosion. Even though he knew that the dragon had absorbed almost of the blast, the residue heat was unbearable, turning the air around him into an inferno, if only for a second. It had stunned him momentarily and all he could think of at that moment was how hot it was.

The steam cleared and Naruto coughed, the moisture and heat making it difficult to breathe and his lungs were adjusting to the sudden change.

It was then he felt cold steel beneath his throat and he prepared himself for the worst, even if this was his teammate, because there was nothing certain in the shinobi world. But the blow did not come and he heard the shifting sounds of footsteps walking away.

"...Why?" A simple question, though Sasuke was not sure whether the boy was referring to the fight they just had or the withdrawing of his blade on the blonde's throat. It didn't matter, he supposed.

Sasuke did not answer, only giving a slight snort before moving off to the deeper parts of the forest.

'_I win this match, Naruto.'_

'_Don't you ever forget that.' _

( I I I )

Dinner was a quiet affair, he mused.

The food that was prepared was meager but Tsunami's cooking had done a lot to make it seem otherwise and each dish was consumed by the tired and extremely hunger Genin as if it were the last thing they will ever eat. Though the boys were noisy in their eating, nothing much was said between them. Tsunami, being the gracious host that she was, asked Sakura a question he didn't bother listening to. Food didn't appeal to him at the moment as he had just imbibed the foul tonic that should, in theory, accelerate his healing.

There was a sudden slam of plates onto the table, jerking Kakashi out of his reverie.

Inari (whom Kakashi promptly labeled a brat after he had glared at the silver-haired Jounin earlier that day) stood up and left the dinner table mid way after Sakura made a comment on the torn photograph hanging in direct sight of the position where Inari had been seated before.

He also noted that the two boys stopped inhaling their food. About time they stopped too.

Apologizing to their guests, Tsunami started to explain the reason for Inari's rude behavior. What she had told them was really what he expected actually. The brat's father figure died, killed by Gatou apparently, and so to spread the pain, the kid started acting as if the world owed him something. Typical and annoying really; it was for this reason why shinobi and normal folk are worlds apart.

He had learnt long ago that grieving and moving on was the only thing one could do in such circumstances, else you'll find yourself to be forever stuck in the past. It was something he told himself day after day for fours years until he knew it as a fact.

Suddenly feeling tired, he excused himself and went straight to bed, the medicine working its magic on him as he fell into a dreamless slumber.

( I I I )

Morning came swiftly, and by the time the sun was up, the three Genin at the lake they found yesterday. Sakura and Sasuke were still drowsy from sleep and Naruto had to fight to keep his eyelids from drooping too low. Kakashi, on the other hand...

"Ah, it's good to be able to move again!" He said as he stretched his arms out extravagantly much to the annoyance of his Genin. "I guess that medicine really does double as an energy drink."

Sakura mumbled something unsavory about him under her breath. He didn't really care.

"Today," he said, stuffing his hands deeply in his pockets, an act which was something he had taken up as a habit, "I'll be teaching you a new chakra exercise as a precaution. Why? Simple. More chakra means more techniques you can use before you eventually come close to chakra exhaustion which you all know is bad. Especially so if it's in the middle of a fight."

He noted the quiet tension between the boys, though it felt as if Sasuke was the only one who was different whereas Naruto merely acted as if everything was as normal.

"Well then, let's start." Before they could move an inch, he jumped onto the surface of the water, not unlike the deities depicted in colorful myths and legends. All of his students looked at him with varying degrees of awe, or in Naruto's case, indifference.

"Looks useful, doesn't it?" He gestured to the wide expanse of water around. "Especially if you have all this free space for sparring."

With that, he jumped back to shore where his students were waiting for him.

"Like tree walking, focus chakra to your feet," said Kakashi as the soles of his sandals began to glow a faint blue. "But instead of making it cling to the surface, just layer it across the soles of your sandals...and there! Water walking at its simplest." He explained as walked a short distance from the shore.

Naruto and Sasuke proceeded to do the same but Sakura stayed behind, knowing that Kakashi wasn't finished and probably left out something important. Seeing that his only female student not move from her spot, he sent her a crinkled wink which she replied with a silent mutter.

When the boys took their first step onto the water, both of them stumbled but did not fall. Seeing success, they exercised their new found ability, straying further from the shore and each other. A mask of concentration began to take root in their expressions which only increased as the seconds passed.

Kakashi merely gave a shrug as he saw the clumps of chakra under his students' soles becoming ever thin. "The higher the amount the firmer your grip onto the water's surface, however, the hard part is that you've got to put out that same amount for the entire duration when your feet are touching the water. Any discrepancy in the amount will cause the chakra to dispel and cause you to fall right about...now."

His words reached them too late as Kakashi intended and the boys suddenly found themselves face full of water. Waddling to shore, Sasuke gave the masked Jounin a glare while Naruto managed to get up by applying the same principle to his palms. His success didn't last though he managed to join a thoroughly soaked Sasuke on shore just before he lost control.

"And that is why I always wait for him to finish." The only dry member of the trio muttered to herself as she watched her teammates stare, with varying degrees of annoyance and apathy, at their dysfunctional teacher who began humming a tune.

( I I I )

They were picking it up faster than he had originally thought.

As expected, Naruto and Sasuke were struggling to maintain their balance due to their higher capacity of chakra. Kakashi watched in bemusement as the two boys suddenly fell once again into the water, their legs giving way as the natural law of gravity came into place.

Sakura, who perfected its use far quicker than her peers, stood calmly on the water's surface, gentle ripples passing under her every time they fell into the water.

Kakashi sighed. "Well, you two better keep up at it; seems like you both need more time to get used to it." He called out to the ever drenched boys who merely continued their efforts. "Sakura and I are going to do some specialized training so I expect you to at least last for a minute on the water when we get back." He motioned for the girl to follow before taking off with a speed that no Genin would ever achieve.

The girl did her best to follow the Jounin until they came across a clearing not far from the lake.

"Sensei, what is all of this about...?" She asked when she caught her breath from the exertion.

Kakashi, however, was not fazed a bit. "This will be the last lesson of your Genjutsu training, Sakura. But before that, I'd like to explain the other aspects of Genjutsu I have neglected to enlighten you about in the past."

"You already know about Sight so I'll just skip to the ones you don't know about. First, Sense will give you the tool in which you can cause your target true pain. Unlike Sight and Feeling which I'll come to later, Sense will allow you to manipulate the perception of your target to make him feel pain. Even if it's not real in truth, whatever the mind believes as 'truth' must be true, correct?"

The girl nodded once, absorbing all that he said.

"It is by this principle that has made Genjutsu the most feared of all techniques. The mind is a formidable thing but once you break it...it is easy to do anything."

"Feeling, on the other hand, will allow you to manipulate the emotions of others, making them feel anger, fear or more 'objectified' things like death. Not particularly useful on its own but extremely effective when used in conjunction with the other two..."

He sighed. "However, explaining them to you would be useless at the moment, because at your current level, learning both of them will be impossible."

"Then how do I achieve them, Kakashi-sensei?"

He smiled. "I was hoping when you'd ask that."

"The reason I've brought you here was so that I can impart to you the final tools which will mark you as an initiate into the ranks of Genjutsu users." At this declaration, Sakura looked uncertain. Her skills with the illusionary arts were far from what she thought was decent. But Kakashi just ignored her, continuing his explanation.

"The traditional method would require you to meditate for seven hours a day, which I assure you that you'll have no time for. And after that, you'd have to consume several drugs to trigger the dormant chakra lines which would allow you perform sensory manipulation."

"But I have a shortcut, which I recommend you take by the way, that will be far easier in the long run. Of course, it is your choice whether or not you take it. But then again, if you opt for the normal way, you would have to quit being a shinobi for at least a year until you are proficient one particular aspect of Genjutsu. And even then, you'd have to repeat the process to get a certain amount of aptitude with the other one."

At this point, Sakura became slightly worried, hoping that all her efforts were not in vain in the light of his words. Quitting as a Genin in order to master Genjutsu was not what she had expected when she started to learn the art nor was it an option to her. She thought that, with sufficient practice as if it were Taijutsu or Ninjutsu, it would come gradually. She didn't expect to that she needed to spiritually better herself in order to use it. And she doubted that Kakashi's 'shortcut' was safe. Simply put, the sacrifices she needed to make far outweighed the advantages.

Attempting to calm herself, Sakura repeated in her mind, like a mantra, that Kakashi wouldn't have given her the training if she had no chance in progressing further than the basics. It was not surprising that it did little to allay that worry.

She mustered up her voice and spoke, not being able to hide her incredulity. "If it's so hard to actually be able to perform Genjutsu, then how did shinobi create it in the first place?"

Kakashi scratched the back of his head. "Well, it's not generally known but the _Geisha_ were the ones who developed Genjutsu into its infant stage, we shinobi just developed it a step further." He gave a shrug, before crinkling cheerfully. "As a side note, you may even be able to become a _Maiko_ if you ever decide to quit the shinobi life; you seem to have the aptitude for it." His words allowed her to dispel her worries and sent disturbing illusion of him and other undesirable objects. "In Genjutsu, I mean." He hastily amended.

The genjutsu stopped, to his immense relief. Despite being subjected to a rather trauma-inducing illusion, Kakashi noticed the worried look behind his student's eyes.

"It seems to me that you're worried..." He said in that bored monotone of his, his only eye peering at her in immeasurable disinterest.

"It's hard not to be when you were busy emphasizing how...inadequate I was at the moment." She said, folding her arms in an irritated fashion.

He blinked. "Ah, but didn't I tell you that I've a shortcut? You shouldn't worry too much, Sakura-chan, I got everything covered."

'_That was what I was afraid of.' _Sakura thought bleakly.

"To put it in simple terms, I'm going to allow you to gain what two years of meditation would give you in a time span of twenty seconds," Hope and skepticism sprung from her bosom before they were quickly squashed by anger, "...by entering your mind."

'_...WHAT!'_ Inner Sakura decided to make an appearance at that moment.

Noticing Sakura's rather scandalized expression, "It is simply a matter of activating the dormant chakra lines in your brain, nothing more. So don't you worry about me trying to peek at your thoughts of dear Sasuke-kun." Sakura blushed and glared at him with a mix of embarrassment and anger.

"This will probably change the way you see the world, and you'll have to work harder than those who have gone through the normal means, not to mention, you'll experience phantom migraines until you fully master Genjutsu," Kakashi said, his tone making it seem all so inconsequential. "This is your last chance to back out. You do wish to continue?"

She nodded.

"All right," He beamed, "It's going to hurt a bit." She heard just as he finished the last set of seals.

Biggest understatement of the year.

A spike of pain which was far more than what constituted as 'a bit' rammed through her skull, making her clutch her head as the colour and sensation overwhelmed her mind in a crescendo of agony. Then for what seemed like an eternity to her, it stopped.

She opened her eyes, gasping as she did.

"...What?"

The world around her was no longer in colour, but rather, in monochrome and everywhere she looked, there was a faint outline of chakra highlighting everything, each and every one possessing a different hue. The shades themselves were alive, constantly shifting with every second as if intelligent, creating beautiful patterns of varying hues overlaid on the leaves of the trees. There was only one color she saw and perhaps because of that, it was more colorful to her than anything else she had seen before.

"My vision..." She asked, voice quivering from the intensity of the experience, "Will it remain like this?" A part of her hoped it would.

A hand clasped her shoulder and she looked at Kakashi, feeling the pride and satisfaction he was feeling that was coming off of him in waves. It was as if she became more empathic to others. "Don't worry, it will naturally pass after some time, though you can use it whenever you like. It's a success, as far as I can tell. Now, you might get a lot of headaches whenever you're using Genjutsu but it would lessen over time as your mind gets used to the new pathways I've opened. You're also experiencing emotional sensitivity right now, correct?"

She nodded shakily, seating herself on the flat surface of a stone outcrop.

"It helps when you perform Genjutsu, but it's a bother at other times. So I'm going to teach you how to close and open that the pathway that affects your empathic abilities. The same can be said for Sight. Now, the seals are..."

The technique was relatively simple to use, as it applied to both her new found abilities. After sealing her sight and empathy to others, Sakura immediately felt better, as though a immense pressure was lifted from her. However, while at the same time, she felt as if she was cut off from the world after seeing it for the first time.

"Now," He said, looking at the girl. "Test out _Sense_ on me. Use the principles I have taught you so far."

She nodded, once before concentrating. Instead of projecting an image, she projected a feeling of itchiness onto Kakashi. Fragile lines of chakra began wrapping themselves around him, before finally disappearing. She suppressed a groan; her newly active link in her mind was aching as it was being used for the first time. It was to her surprise that Kakashi began to scratch his left arm.

"Hmm, not bad, you could use improvement in the application but nonetheless good."

"That's it?" Sakura was incredulous, though not ungrateful. She was a bit greedy, admittedly, because she eagerly wanted to test her limits as soon as possible. "You're not going to teach me some techniques?"

"Of course not, you silly girl," Kakashi reprimanded her lightly with a gentle tap on her head with the flat side of his hand. "What you have learned up to now is all basic. It is you who will have to devise new techniques for your own use. After all, isn't Genjutsu is a skill that requires imagination? While I could certainly teach you some techniques, would it truly benefit you in the end? Better let you experiment on your own and come to me when you have a real problem."

'_That and almost all the Genjutsu I know are classified.'_ Kakashi thought sourly as Sakura tried to persuade him to teach her a thing or two as the 'basics', before she stopped after a headache made itself known to her.

( I I I )

The next day was relaxed, partly due to the fact that there was no training. Naruto had wandered off to Kami knows where and Sasuke immediately exited the house the minute he finished breakfast, leaving her alone with the others.

One thing led to another and she found herself escorting Tazuna to the bridge and back. It was rather boring and so she idled her time away by playing around with Genjutsu. By late afternoon when the workers went home for the day, Tazuna told her that they needed to go to the village market to get more groceries. As the bridge was essentially next to the village centre, they arrived without much walking. Everywhere she looked, she saw destitution and poverty, the effect of having the Gatou controlling all of the maritime trade routes. Stalls which sold foodstuffs were small and shabby, their wares bordering on non-existent.

Though food was in great demand, there were many people out on the streets, displaying trinkets of every kind on ragged cloth in a hope to sell something. Most were handmade, many done with much creativeness. Looking at all the wares, she wondered whether she should get something to thank Naruto with. She hadn't gotten around doing it yet and was feeling bad about his help.

Appraising the line of goods as she walked, a little gemstone, which almost slipped her notice, caught her eye. She paused for a moment, pushing the slipping grocery bag up.

"Tazuna-san, could you wait for a minute?" She found the perfect gift.

( I I I )

He wondered whether he should make some blood-replenishing and cell-regenerative elixirs...just in case. Though the actual theory behind the process of making such were considered to be only available to Medic-nins, the medical scroll that Kakashi gave him before shed enough light on the matter for him to guess and come up with suitable variations. The tonic he gave Kakashi was one such example.

Having ran out of herbs to make his tonics, Naruto left the house just before the crack of dawn, having asked Tsunami for possible areas where flowers may be growing. Wave country was famous for its medicinal flowers, which was incidentally Wave's main income before Gatou came into the picture. He soon reached the area that Tsunami had told him about; a mini meadow surrounded within the forest, the area littered with flowers of every kind.

With a basket in hand, Naruto began the tedious task of collecting them. While there were a few of which he wanted but had not grown in the field, the majority that he found were sufficient for brewing the medicine he wanted.

Halfway through, he heard footfalls approaching him, and he tensed. Hand moving slowly towards his kunai pouch, he whipped around...

Only to see a girl. His hand fell from the handle of the kunai.

She was dressed in what would seem to be the native's way of dressing; a sleeveless light colored dress with numerous swirls imprinted onto the fabric. A hand-woven basket was clutched in her hands, half-filled with herbs and flowers wasn't found in the clearing. She must be the apprentice of the local drug maker, he reasoned.

She was what you could call 'pretty', with long raven locks and a finely shaped face, until he noticed a small and barely noticeable hump on her throat. Naruto dismissed the thought that came to his mind.

"Hello there," The girl said with a smile. "I'm Haku, by the way."

Naruto paused for a while. "Uzumaki Naruto." He said, before turning away and continuing to search for flowers which he could use.

"You're gathering herbs as well?" The girl hovered over his side, peering at the assortment of flowers he had collected already.

"Yes," said Naruto, fingers rubbing on the petal of an herb he thought that could be of use, "It's for my tonics." At Haku's inquisitive look, he explained. "It's a pastime."

"Ohhh...I never heard of a ninja who makes medicine for a hobby." The girl sounded quite surprised, "Most either do it for money or as an obligation. So why do you do it?"

"It's fun," said Naruto quietly, "Helps me pass the time."

Haku nodded absently. "I supposed its alright, doing something for the sake of doing it..."

Naruto picked another flower before placing it into his basket. "It's not really for fun either, its for when I or my team-mates get hurt. Just in case. My sensei used up all of the ingredients I got."

"Really? How did he get hurt?" Haku asked with curiosity in her voice.

"He was fighting another shinobi. It happened."

"Oh, I see." She said blankly, not knowing how to respond. Naruto thought he heard disappointment in her tone. He looked at Haku's hands. There were many faded calluses on them, the markings of either Taijutsu training or the rigors making medicine.

"Your hands." He said.

Haku blinked, before she realized what he was referring to. "Ah, I got them when I was protecting someone important." She smiled brightly.

Naruto was silent, contemplating her words. "You're a good person." He said at last. Haku looked surprised for a moment before it disappeared. "Thank you." She said hesitantly, before turning suddenly, her back facing the boy. "It's time for me to go. Let's meet again somewhere."

"Good bye."

"Oh, and Naruto-kun?" Said blonde boy turned to look at her.

"I'm a boy."

Haku suppressed a laugh at the boy's dumbfounded (if not shocked) expression before walking back towards the hideout, feeling a bit of regret as the boy seemed so nice.

( I I I )

Dinner was brisk as before, passing without incident and everyone went to bed early. Everyone except Naruto, that is. The herbs and flowers he collected during the day were now simmering in the large cauldron that he acquisitioned from Tsunami, having done all that he needed to do to make them into useful elixirs. All he needed now was time to do its job.

Quietly, he sneaked out of the house, knowing that Kakashi was alert even in his sleep. Wandering aimlessly, he soon found himself at the training spot they used. The moon was out and its light was reflected almost lazily onto the lake's calm surface. It no longer looked as it did during the day, and now, basked by the moonlight, the whole place had an ethereal feel to it. He fingered the pendant that Sakura had given him in the evening, noting how perfectly cut the rectangular gemstone was. It was smooth to touch, absorbing light but yet reflecting the light of the moon.

He felt free, oddly enough, relishing the feel. Remembering the Kyuubi's desire to roam free, he began to perform hand seals. It was a variation of the Kage Bunshin he developed on his own during his free time, whenever he wasn't on a mission or studying and experimenting with medicine. He had done so ever since he had read up on the instinctual _need_ the fox had for freedom. The jutsu would be temporary, and he hoped that it would suffice.

With the last seal completed, a thick gaseous cloud appeared before him, an invisible bond of chakra binding him to it. It began to congeal into a white mass as he gently tugged the spirit of the demon into the body, though still connected to him via the seals on were placed onto him. Naruto concentrated on maintaining the faux body that he created, knowing that he could not rest until the demon took shape.

The shapeless mass morphed slowly, gaining a human like shape. Then color, and then further refinement. Unclothed curves began to form before they were covered by cloth that formed over. Soon, he was staring at a girl, dressed in a scarlet hakama and a simple but elegant kimono shirt with swinging sleeves, lined with markings that he did not recognize. She seemed older than him but it was not more than a few years. Fox ears peaked over her long illustrious locks of red orange hair that bordered on crimson, which framed her face and spilled across her back.

And of course, not to forget, the nine tails that hovered behind her back which he knew would be peaking out from her hakama.

"..." Naruto had nothing to say, nor did he need to.

The girl opened her eyes, revealing piercing amber pools which showed no emotion as she regarded him. A flicker of recognition passed in her eyes before it hid itself into the deep golden orbs.

"Where am I?" The fox girl spoke, her voice loud as a bell but yet smooth as silk.

"In the real world," said Naruto after a moment of consideration, "Outside that cage, for the moment."

A silence passed between them.

"You're...certainty smaller than I expected," He said, contemplation present in his voice, "Far smaller."

"This is my...form that I use when I meet humans," The girl -no, kitsune, spoke, her voice bewitching as it was melodious, "It's been a long time since I took this form." The last part was added as a faint whisper but he had heard it anyway. If it had been anyone else, they might have the sense of irony to notice that the greatest demon in the world was female. Naruto didn't seem to care.

"I'll not feel indebted to you." She said with neither malice or gratitude, tails swishing and coiling around each other, "But I would like to know the reason why you've done this when you've nothing to benefit from it."

"You once mentioned to me that you wanted to feel freedom." He answered earnestly and without hesitation, "This was the best I could do but-"

"You've done more than enough, and for that, thank you." The kitsune murmured, walking towards the lake. "When or should you have the opportunity, could I ask that you do the same as you did tonight?" She saw Naruto nod and smiled, standing over the surface of the lake.

"Call me Chiyako, the name that was given to this body." She said before she started dancing, creating gentle ripples wherever she went. Ethereal foxes came to her, made of the moonlight that shone upon the lake, and they joined her in the dancing. It became more elaborate and elegant, more spirits materializing and joining in.

And Naruto simply sat on the stone as he watched the girl and foxes dance, entranced by it all and unaware of the passage of time.

A/N: Read through once, may contain errors in both grammar and spelling. Posting up a beta-ed version once beta-er is done. Similarly, may possess plot holes or I'm imagining them. (I hope so.)

Reasons for not updating for about...3 or so months: 1) Internet died. Horribly. 2) School work. 3)Writer's block.

To those who have waited patiently through all these months, I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. And to those who have PMed me but didn't get a response, I apologize and ask of you to refer to reason no.1. :) To clarify some questions: No, I'm not updating anywhere else but at FFN. Secondly, Of Blades and Blood will sort of resume once I get The Savant up to the (somewhat) beginning of the Chuunin Exams. The next chapter's length is currently expected to go into 10k, so bear with me if I don't update it soon, with my exams and all.

Now for those who may be pissed off at the victory that Sasuke gotten, remember that he has a inferiority/superiority complex so when he sees Naruto master a technique when he just **saw** it for the first time, he would have every right to go ballistic sooner or later, just like the time when he saw the Rasengan blow the crap out of that water container. And as to why Naruto lost the fight, you'd have to remember that he didn't expect it. Surprise often gives the edge to opponents who are more or less equal to each other. Terrain and skill specialty also factors in as Naruto is more of a mid-range ninja who rains jutsu on his opponent while using the freedom of mobility a large and solid surface would provide.

Sasuke, on the other hand, is a close combat freak or better than Naruto in this area at any rate. So adding surprise, limited freedom of movement and inferiority to hand-to-hand combat and surprise once again would equal to one Naruto defeat. Don't worry, Naruto make up for it somehow. :D

As for making the Kyuubi a girl...I'd have to blame Pride-Fall and his works. The idea was too tempting to pass up. Next chapter would be shorter, so it would hopefully not take as long. Anyway, as always, please R&R and thank you for reading!

Until next time,

legacyZero.


	10. Chapter 10

Pre-chapter notes: After much sweat and perceived tears, this chapter is done! I know some of you are complaining (Thank you to those who have been patient) but seriously, if I could spare the time to write, I would gladly do it. I'm **_however_**, not indebted to those who bitch about the intervals at which I upload nor do I feel an obligation to those who 'demand' that I write within a definite time period. ('Update soon' is not under the definitive category, and I can pretty much understand the reasons behind it) This is done in my own time and effort, in a year that is vitally important, for the enjoyment to all ya readers. So excuse me when I'm more than a bit miffed if somebody asks me to update faster or quit writing. Hopefully this will be the last rant of its kind.

And now back to the scheduled programming...

* * *

"Blah" denotes speech. 

_Blah! _denotes sound.

'_Blah'_ denotes thoughts.

'**BLAH**' denotes Demon talking.

* * *

"_During the days before the massive outbreak of the Fourth Secret World War, the continent had been overrun with crime and corruption. It was not the same lawless anarchy that had beset civilization after the fall of the Great Empire, but rather, it was immaculate and subtle in the form of a vast syndicate made up of almost, if not all, the traditional clans that controlled the back-alley streets in the cities of the continent. For the first time, all of them were ruled by only one man, Kaneoni Gatou, the owner of Gatou Corporation. _

_Using his company as a front, the lucrative and illegal opium smuggling and distribution network that he sole-operated had existed for years through bribery of local authorities and coercion, making him both very influential within local politics and the underworld. Under his leadership, the syndicate thrived through the sale of drugs and extortion from the people. To reduce his dependence upon the politically unstable cartels in the land of Water, Gatou decided to take control of the Isle of Wave, the most suitable land in the entire continent to grow the poppy plants that gave him his wealth. With a score of shinobi from the Mist along with the infamous Yakuza, he set out to destroy the efforts of that island to defeat him and gain back their independence. _

_However, it was upon this humble nation that he was defeated by a team of three Genin and their sole Jounin, who bears the title of Sharingan Kakashi. With the death of Gatou, the syndicate fractured and crumbled, as many of its clans tried to gain supremacy over one another. Fraught with constant territorial disputes, never again would they reach the height they once did under Gatou. However, it was not due to this legendary shinobi of the previous war that caused the greatest criminal organization in history to shatter and remain so, but rather it was due to the actions of one boy; a Genin who would irrevocably leave a great impact upon the land of the eastern sun in the near future. This is the start of the tale of Uzumaki Naruto..."_ – Extracts from '**_The Legends Behind the Mask_**', a biography and listing of the all greatest shinobi who had ever lived.

* * *

It was morning, the sun having risen from the horizon a few hours before. Naruto scrolled into the house's modest but well-furnished kitchen. The small cauldron of elixir that he had left to cool during the night before was now a shade of pallid crimson, the colour of blood with the taste of bitter cherries. Or so he thought. The scroll had said that to dying men, it was the sweetest thing they had ever tasted, with the ability to mend the most grievous of wounds, or at least prolong the lives of the wounded until further treatment. 

Perhaps it was only bitter to those already blessed with life, having already gotten what it was supposed to give.

Using a ladle to scoop the potion from the pot, Naruto carefully poured it into the thirty or so glass vials sitting orderly in the compact box he had brought with him. Though potent, this particular elixir was costly to produce in large quantities due to the scarcity of herbs that were only found in Wave country and the amount that the process finally yielded. Bottling the last of the thick liquid in the hardened glass vials, Naruto left the excess and rapidly degrading liquid in the pot as it was. He had heard that the congealed remains of the potion was edible and would go well with Wave cuisine and he knew Tsunami-san would appreciate.

Checking that his box was safely in his room, Naruto ventured out into the open, the faint scent of sea spray greeting him as he did.

There, he found a sulking boy perched upon the edge, bare feet dangling above the cool salt water surface of the inland lake. He made no move to conceal his presence nor did he felt the need to.

Inari snapped his head upwards as he heard the approaching footfalls towards his person.

"It's useless you know," Inari muttered, loud enough for him to hear, "Gatou's going to kill you, no matter how strong you are."

Naruto cocked his head to the side as an act of puzzlement, "What makes you so certain?" He asked.

The boy looked at him smugly. "Just because. I've seen stronger people than you who've tried to go against that man and not one of them are living today."

His look turned bitter, as if set in resignation, "The weak always fall before the strong."

At this, Naruto became strangely agitated, with a sudden urge to prove the boy wrong. It was not so much his words, but rather, in the manner in which he had said them.

"How do we prove that we are not weak," Naruto inquired, annoyance lacing his words, "When you seem so determined to think our efforts are futile?"

Inari snorted, with spiteful eyes glaring at the blonde. "Think you can do something that will make me afraid?" He mocked, wearing a savage smile of boyish glee, "I bet you can't, because I know that you three are the weakest type of shinobi there is. Heck, all of you weren't looking too good when you first arrived here, you probably gotten lucky with that Zabuza guy."

Naruto remained silent, turning from the boy to face the sea beyond, his hands twisting and changing from one seal to another.

Though Inari did not know what he was doing, the time and complex moments of the blonde made him a tad nervous. Who knew what sorcery they could perform? After what seemed to be a long while, Naruto finally stopped, looking at the boy with impassive azure eyes. "Will this do?"

Nothing happened, and Inari became confused and angry. He yelled, "What do you mean! Nothing's happen-" Bubbles began frothing from the water's depths, slow at first before picking up pace to become vigorous.

A large mass of water rose violently and Inari yelped as the chilly water splashed onto him.

The mass began to thin considerably, but it elongated to compensate with almost the entirety of its length branching off into three separate stems, its current size already shadowing the nearby residence. Though it was currently featureless, more and more detail were being added to the thing, as if it were a incomplete piece of art. Or a indescribable monster.

Inari was cowering when he recognized its shape, and paled even further when more and more of its features were being sculpted by unseen hands, each second driving a stake of fear into his heart. Sharp scales poked from the surface, then tore from the main body and were reshaped into massive appendages with equally jagged claws. Then after what seemed like an eternity, the behemoth awoke, and three pairs of unnatural eyes opened, with the quiet that often came before the storm.

The creature, which now dwarfed the house by a large margin, regarded the two humans in front of it with pensive consideration. Then it looked at Inari, bringing to bear its fearsome gaze onto the child.

Naruto was calm, his face placid as he looked upon his creation with neither joy or pride. "This is a Hydra, one of the greatest creatures to ever roam the seas. It is, as you can see, nothing but a replica though I see you're familiar with it."

The Hydra, with its glowing amber eyes peering at him from all three heads, made a guttural sound from the back of its nonexistence throat. Inari looked as if he would fall if someone so much as prodded him. "Would somebody weak be able to summon this leviathan? This incarnation of a predator which had struck fear and repentance to the gods to the countless thousands who inhabit the Isles of Mist and Wave for centuries!" Naruto's words were uttered harshly, demanding for the boy to reply.

Inari was too paralyzed with fear to respond. "I thought so."

The blonde took a deep breath, whatever perceived spite in his voice draining away to its normal impassivity, "Now, would you care to concede that statement you made?"

"I-I'm n-not s-scared, s-so..." It was quite obvious to all that he was. Those who weren't wouldn't be shaking like that after all, Naruto thought.

He spoke, not looking at the shivering boy. "True strength is to fight when everything is against you. To struggle even when everyone else has given up. Denial and rejection of the world around you, however, is not strength. It is cowardice." With those words, the Hydra began to sink back into the sea hard and fast, spraying the two boys in a light drizzle of sea water.

"I'll not say that I understand your circumstances," Naruto said at last, just as the last vestiges of the titan he created shifted back into the sea, "Because I don't but you shouldn't put too stock into your past experiences. The bridge will be completed and your family will be safe."

There was a long silence, and Inari brought his downcast eyes to glare at the blonde. "Y-you'll never understand," He choked out in childish resentment, running towards the forested areas and beyond, "You're all going to die anyways, no matter how strong you are, they will always win."

Watching the retreating figure of the boy, he walked towards the training area, with a single sentence besmirching the silence, "I never said I did."

"You used a kinjutsu." The sudden voice jerked him from taking his next step. Turning behind, Naruto saw Kakashi wearing a severe expression, "And a terrible one at that."

"Yes, I did."

"I didn't think it was in you to show off like that. Sasuke or some arrogant brat perhaps, but you? Can't say I'm not surprised." The man said, "What would happen if the others had caught sight of it? It would be awkward to say the least."

"But they didn't and they're far from here."

"Regardless, to think that you managed to replicate Nidaime's prized jutsu is already a wonder in itself." The Jounin began messaging his temples, "Frankly, I was afraid that you might have lost control of it and put the entirety of Wave underwater. It wouldn't look too good for Konoha if that happened."

"He needed to change his outlook on things." Naruto said, "I just merely hastened the process."

"But did you really have to use that?" Kakashi sighed, "A simple _Suiryuudan_ would have sufficed."

At this, Naruto looked puzzled. "But he said to bring out the most frightening thing that I could and I obliged him."

His puzzlement increased when Kakashi merely face-faulted.

(I I I)

It was quiet, she thought, too quiet. While the forest around her produced the required ambience for her task, she had found it too distracting for her tastes. It was a far-cry from her spot at the inland lake but she didn't feel very much up for the trek there.

She winced as her head pounded with a dull but persistence ache before mysteriously vanishing a moment later.

The headaches were mild but ever lingering at the back of her mind. But even the slightest usage of chakra made her feel nauseous, her stomach churning as much as her mind was. The thought of losing her breakfast was discomforting enough and only added to the nausea.

So here she was, doing what Kakashi said was the only thing she could do now, mediate. Yesterday, the one-eyed Jounin had forbid her from using jutsu for a few days in fear of chakra whiplash. Of course, when she said that she was feeling fine, Kakashi gave her the critical eye.

"_Did you honestly think that you could perform jutsu straight away after undergoing a rather delicate process of chakra enhancement? Sure, you won't feel the effects now, but come tomorrow morning, you'll see what I mean." _

The ensuring look of disappointment made her feel a bit angry towards the Jounin, though much of it was directed at herself. She should have realized earlier that such an ability accelerating technique had other drawbacks.

Mediation, Kakashi had said, would be able to help her reduce the time that it would take for her to be fully ready to begin using her techniques and hopefully relieve the worst of her phantom headaches. She suspected that he had said that only to keep her from bothering him. That lazy excuse of a teacher.

However, performing said activity proved more difficult in practice. Sakura, like any other girl her age, was restless and eager to do anything but nothing. Trying to focus her concentration and thoughts onto absolute nothingness, she managed to achieve her state of Zen for a few minutes before being distracted by another migraine.

"Gods, this isn't working." She muttered to herself.

It was by a stroke of luck, that she saw Naruto passing by the area. The boy had been invaluable in her training with Genjutsu before, helping her overcome the natural hurdles that creating illusions presented. She suspected many a time that Naruto had a better grasp of Genjutsu than she did whenever he dropped a piece of advice during their joint training exercises back in Konoha. Though she had seen very little of the boy the past few days save for training and meals, he indulged her with his advice despite being busy with his herbs. So far, everything that the blonde had recommended her to do resulted in better and satisfactory results. That is, before her little quick fix op, courtesy of Kakashi.

"Hey, Naruto!"

The boy looked at her, and she was happy to note that the pendant she had given him as a gift yesterday was around his neck. It was good to know that her gift was appreciated. When his glance turned inquisitive, she said, "I need your help."

And so she explained her problem, to which the boy listened patiently. Another thing that separated him from the other boys- Sasuke-kun not included- was that Naruto seemed to actually listen. Finishing, she stopped and waited while Naruto thought. He seemed lost for a moment before he snapped back into focus.

"The root of your problem lies here." He pointed to her head, and then opened the satchel he had brought along before producing a thin vial of colorless liquid.

Though she knew that the boy had dabbled in medicine, evidently by his continuation application of lotions during training, it was only recently that she learnt that the boy actually _made_ his own medicine. She wouldn't have believed it if she hadn't seen it first hand when he borrowed a cauldron from their host and worked. The fact that Kakashi, who was near death after the encounter with Zabuza only a few days prior, had recovered so rapidly attested to Naruto's potency as a drug maker. Nothing was ever what it seemed to be around the blonde.

Though she never actually drank any of Naruto's various potions, the look on Kakashi's face whenever he took Naruto's miracle medicine was a fair indication of its taste and she didn't feel any particular desire to incur the same fate.

"One of your medicines?" She inquired cautiously, taking the proffered vial.

The boy nodded. Internally, Sakura paled. Talented an herbalist Naruto may be, but suffer not the horrors of bitter medicine did she want.

"Erm...On second thought, I'd rather not. Thanks anyways." She said a little too hastily. The boy almost looked crestfallen at her words.

"It would help with that headache you seem to have trouble with." He said trying to convince the girl to take it, pointing to the vial.

The fore-mentioned headache came back with a vengeance and Sakura decided to risk it. Not being able to taste anything for the next few hours would be a small price she'd have to pay to not feel as if she had slammed her head onto solid concrete a few dozen times or so.

Removing the cap, Sakura took a swing, fully expecting the same brand of foulness to sear her tongue and was surprised at its taste. It didn't taste bitter as did most medicine, but rather it tasted sweet, like a fruit. Best of all, her headache was gone.

"Hey, it works," She brightened up considerably, hands touching her forehead, "And it doesn't taste half bad either!"

"I'm glad," he said, voice monotone and bearing not one ounce of his supposed gladness, "I'll be off then. Tell me if you need anymore." The boy then walked away, to where and to do what she didn't know.

Though Sasuke-kun was her love interest, it didn't mean that she wasn't concerned about Naruto as a teammate. The sessions they had before had brought some measure of understanding between them, ending the somewhat stiff and awkward relationship that presided before. Though she still felt apprehensive at times, the number of times when that feeling would emerge had been few and far between. All in all, Naruto...was okay. Even if he was a little weird and monotone all the time, and never ever showed his emotions save for that one time.

Inner Sakura was less inclined but was on the general consensus that Naruto was passable for a teammate, for now at least.

The last thing that Sakura thought before she descended into oblivion was about the bright radiant smile he had gave her months ago and how could a boy like Naruto be so natural at smiling.

(I I I)

Fire, he knew, was a lot of things; fleeting and yet all encompassing at the same time. It was an element that his family had for generations commanded with ease for the prosperity of their clan and village, using it to fan the flames of growth and the fiery destruction to all that opposed. Fire, to be blunt, was power incarnate.

But he hated fire. It was too wild, too unpredictable and so very eager to burn everything within its grasp to a thin speck of cinder. And he did not appreciate power that he could not control. He remembered his father saying to him once, in one of those rare moments when he actually paid attention to his second and infinitely less gifted (In his perspective) son.

_Water drowns and freezes. _

_Wind severs and rends._

_Earth swallows and crushes._

_Lightning sunders and scorches. _

_But all pales before fire, which smolders all without difference or distinction. _

It was a poison and he used it as if one would use poison; just enough, nothing more nothing less. None of the other elements had the same single-minded purpose to destroy or the raw unbridled power that came naturally as with all fire techniques.

But it was a risky thing to do. Fire was not a docile element. Every time he uses it, It struggles continuously to be let loose, one tiny bit at a time, to shatter his control and consume him in its wake for daring to command it as he did. No, fire was a dangerous thing to play with. But as was with most ironies in the world, he was dependent on it, tapping into its double-edged strength to accomplish what would have been a rather impossible goal. After all, Itachi was the last true Fire Walker to be accepted by the shrine of fire beneath the loose floor tile of his deserted home. It was fighting with fire against fire, poison with poison, so to speak.

With that in mind, he imbued his fist with chakra once again, willing the thin wispy energy to turn into liquid flame that engulfed the entirety his hand and then some, its shade not unlike that of the sun above. The heat was terrible as he had expected, causing droplets of sweat to form and drip from his face, the few that dropped into the direct path of the flame evaporating with a sizzle. He found his target in the form of a nearby tree but did not move. Even now, the chakra-turned flame threatened to swallow him whole if he even so much as slipped. Reaching the threshold of his control, he jumped started into action put his fist through the tree trunk which gave way like paper before bursting into debris, the brilliant flame transferring from his fist to the trunk's interior with a magnificent _BOOM_! None of the wooden shrapnel touched him, all of it having flown with the outward momentum of the blast.

With the adrenaline that allowed him to continue already fading, Sasuke forced himself to stand as the price of using the jutsu was starting to take its toil on his body. The ley lines that fed fuel to the fire were now the centre of extreme pain, caused by his lack of chakra control. Just as it had done onto the tree, so did it had done upon his body. Equivalent trade; that was the price that the Flame had demanded of all its practitioners; power in exchange for control. If one failed to provide the control needed for such power, then pain and sacrifice would suffice, to the cost of one's life if need be. He heaved a sigh of relief as the incessant burning of his veins in his arm ceased, allowing him to take a much needed drink of water from his canteen. The damage to his hand would heal soon, he knew, for his control this time was far better now. Despite the harshness of using the jutsu, it had been the fifth tree he had wrecked with it since coming to this particular spot, his last and most recent attempt ending his training regime earlier than expected.

As he sat beneath one of the tall and imposing trees (Which dwarfed the one he destroyed several times over), making full use of the shade, his thoughts wandered over to his fight with Naruto. Anger and annoyance reared their heads as he remembered the details of that fight. The exhilaration of winning lasted until he began to think carefully. Though he had won, he noticed that the blonde was sluggish and lacking the dexterity he had displayed in their previous bouts. Moves that boy could execute but didn't, hits he could have avoided but didn't, many instances of similar nature repeated themselves as he reviewed it again and again. Though the fight was a disappointment, he wanted to challenge the blonde again in the future, preferably in the Chuunin exams. He repressed a shudder of excitement at the thought of facing off against the best who would inevitably gather at the exams.

His thoughts were interrupted as the soft snap of a twig announced to him that he was not alone. Sasuke did not look back to the boy emerging from the forest beyond.

"Why train when you know that it's all pointless," A snotty and obnoxious voice that screamed youthful ignorance said, "The old man had already said much about the amount of thugs that Gatou can bring into the area, and one person ain't gonna make them turn and run!"

Sasuke looked away from the smoldering remains of the tree and turned his steely gaze onto the boy. Inari's spite crumbled to be replaced by a primal fear at the sight of the Uchiha.

"Pointless?" He asked, voice deceptively soft despite the glowing ambers of rage in his eyes, "You've no right to say that to me. What makes you think I'm like you? If I were, perhaps then, it will be pointless. But did you even try once to fight back? No, you've only cowered in fear, when you should've tried to grasp strength in those hands of yours."

At that, Inari got back a bit of his previous fire into him, "It's better to be a coward than a dead hero." The look of pure loathing from the ninja was now even more venomous and spiteful than the last.

"Look, you little _brat_," Sasuke spat, "From what I heard, you're nothing but a little crybaby. "Your **_father_**," Inari winced, "had the courage to do what was right and died for it, fighting with everything he had got even if he knew it's going to be pointless. That is the mark of a person with strength. And what did you do to honor his sacrifice? Nothing but cry in private and say that he deserved whatever he got at every opportunity you get. What a _wonderful_ son you are."

The boy took a step back, the words robbing him of his voice as they struck raw nerves. Tears began to form within his eyes.

"See, I was right, wasn't I?" Loathing filled his voice like water in a cup, "Remain a worthless crybaby, see if anyone cares." The Uchiha turned and walked away, leaving behind a child of disillusions.

( I I I )

Money, he reasoned time and time again, was life. The first benchmark of power and importance of the ancient ages had been measured by honor. An anarchistic concept that had ultimately been usurped by the importance of bloodlines and connections during the tentative years of the formation of the five Great Shinobi Countries and the two cataclysmic Secret Wars that followed. Eventually, even that has been replaced, as the war-torn continent enjoyed its best decade of peace and prosperity not seen since the reign of the first samurai empire. Peace had brought great progress to the common man, like the development of enterprise and economics. With the rapid spread of commercialism and small scale industrialization, trade, and by extension, money, had taken its place as the lifeblood of many, if not all, the nations on the continent.

And money, as he knew so well, talks.

To Gatou, it was power over life, death, _everything_.

It did things like no other had done before; Honor could not feed a dying man nor could it stop a war. Purity of blood could not convince a man to charge in the face of a hundred swords. The power of money could do all of that and so much more. Who needed honor when all it took was a few thousand ryo?

With that logic, Gatou was one of _the _most prominent men on continent, right after the elemental Kages and the Grand Assembly of Feudal Lords, his financial empire fully capable of funding the Third Secret War, possibly the most expensive war to date, five times over.

However, as much as he was endowed with wealth, Gatou was also equally reluctant to part with it. Hoarding and scrimping had been the name of the game towards anything that required his money but did not personally benefit him. Still, there were exceptions to that.

This was one such time.

"Half a dozen Mist-nins along with the forty Yakuza, boss?" A rather shifty looking fellow with greasy slick hair by the name of Keizuma said, "Costs are estimated to be around four hundred and twenty thousand ryo for their...services."

"Heh, they're still loads cheaper combined than what I offered to pay Zabuza. I'd be making a profit still, even if the cartels in Water come to an impasse in their shipments." Gatou said, taking a drag from his fat and expensive cigar, "Ah, nothing beats the taste of finely rolled tobacco."

They were in his Gatou's regional office, which was bare, despite the rich feel of the room. What little accessories there were came in the form of a few potted plants that served as decorations. Light came though the large rectangular window which over looked the sea and the distant shapes of land beyond.

"Boss, ah, with all due respect, but I think that it'd been be better to contact the boys from the mainland instead of hiring all of them, Yakuza, Money sucking leeches, the whole lot of them." The scrawny man grumbled, as if it were his own money that was being spared for this expense.

"A few more insurances wouldn't hurt; I need new enforcers anyway," Gatou scoffed, "Besides, I'd be paying for lesser once that freak Zabuza gets killed by those Leaf-nins or get done in by our own. And if I'm really lucky, those pests would be gone too by the time they're done stabbing each other. Quality service for lesser the price, I'd say!"

Gatou paused for a moment, before adding, "Get me another box of cigars, to be on my desk tomorrow."

The underling didn't respond, furiously scribbling onto his notebook before turning to leave the boss in his musings at the prospect of making more money.

( I I I )

"**_Suiton: Suiryuudan no jutsu_**." A dozen or so Narutos muttered, causing multiple twisters of water to form into somewhat identical dragons, which then towered the lake shore menacingly for a while before collapsing back into the lake.

All of them slumped in exhaustion before disappearing in smoke, the last of the energy that maintained their existences spent. As the smoke cleared, only one stood; the steady rise and fall of his chest the only sign of his exhaustion.

Again, he summoned up a number of clones, the amount this time slightly more than the previous attempt. As if synchronized, their hands began to go through a series of seals, a blue sheen of chakra becoming visible in the air due to the sheer amount of energy being projected in near proximity.

It was during the later part of one of his brewing sessions that he first realized it. Though he never really needed to get his kage bunshin to have more chakra than the norm, the _Suiryuudan_ required more than what they could hold, thus facilitating the need for him to resolve that discrepancy.

It sounded easy in theory.

While substantially increasing the chakra that each clone gets on an individual basis wasn't too difficult to achieve, doing the same for five or more clones proved vastly more challenging, as it went against the basic rule of the Kage Bunshin technique of dividing the user's chakra among many real bodies to allocating a variable amount of chakra to a specific or fixed number of bodies each time the jutsu was performed.

At the present, he had managed to create a dozen clones with enough chakra to perform three _Suiryuudans,_ though any additional clones he created afterwards would be at their pre-enhancement state. While this gave him the advantage in firepower, the drawback was that it would cause him to collapse from chakra exhaustion and most possibly burn his entire system inside out should he be careless. It had pushed the limit of his control of chakra but it had been a fair price to pay for being able to unleash a horde of marauding dragons on Zabuza on their next encounter.

Like the _Suiryuudan_, he also made sure all the clones were able to perform all of his jutsu, save for the forbidden repertoire he gained months ago. Though they were able to replicate them theoretically, the amount of chakra he had given and the maximum he could give to each one proved insufficient, the most modest of his useful and highly surreptitious kinjutsu requiring a chakra demand of a dozen _Suiryuudans_ in comparison. The promise he made to the old man, combining with the fact that he didn't need any more chakra-pumped clones and the difficulty of further increasing their capacity made him leave things as it were until it proved to be a necessity for him to continue again.

Dispelling all his clones, Naruto slumped against a nearby tree in an uncharacteristic heave of exhaustion. Summoning and gradually increasing his control was not without its burdens. Even with his vast wells of chakra, he almost faced the prospect of chakra exhaustion, which was a undesirable thing to behold. Downing his canteen of water, he took a few minutes to catch his break before rummaging through the small bag he brought along to take out a neatly wrapped package and a small vial not unlike the one he gave to Sakura.

Opening the wrapping, he hungrily devoured the sandwich that he prepared earlier in preparation for his training. As much as he favored ramen, he was equally adept to prepare fare that was of an acceptable quality to his taste and had often used the knowledge he gleaned from recipe books to cook various dishes to sample whenever Ichikaru was closed for some reason or another.

Finishing the last morsel of bread and meat, he drank the contents of the vial, another potion from his inventory that he brought along from Konoha. It was a simple drug which stimulated the user's chakra recovery process and eased the side-effects of heavy chakra usage on the body.

His training for today was done but sunset was still a few hours away and he did not fancy the idea of spending the next few hours by idling. Hopping to his feet, he proceeded to the lake's edge.

During his development of the technique that allowed the Kyuubi out of her cage, he encountered some very interesting things as he practiced by pulling out portions of his soul copied through of use of kage-bunshin and partially materializing that, instead of the demoness sealed within him. It was essentially producing an incomplete clone of himself but unlike the kage-bunshin, was real in the sense that it had its _own_ source of chakra and was a separate entity unlike the traditional kage-bunshin.

The concept was fascinating in itself, but he had no time to devote to understanding it, already having barely enough time remaining for sleep after missions, training and late night brewing of complicated potions as it was.

That was, until now. He suddenly found himself with a few free hours to spare. And Naruto was not one who would waste his opportunities.

Before, he had only attempted to shift portions of his soul, the resulting creations never lingering for more than a few brief moments before dissipating into wispy blue tendrils that too faded into nothingness. But now, he was going to try to shift it fully. Hands fixed into seals, he began the process, a persistent tugging forming in his chest not long after.

Just like the previous night before, a white mass began to materialize before him, the solid form of energy made flesh, As it grew, so did the familiar tugging in his chest until it could grow no more, large and ungainly. He tried to move the source, but it was heavy and rooted, unlike the times when he moved only portions at a time.

Concentrating all of his energy, he pushed, all of his being focused on the task. And then, it all went wrong.

Something deep within him, once firm and unmovable, dislodged; the side-effect upon was something more drastic as he suddenly found himself flung backwards by chakra -his chakra, no less-, and into the soft earth. The tugging in his chest was gone, replaced by a vague emptiness that he could not name.

Getting up quickly, for the fall only managed to disorient him, he looked to see two spheres of energy before him, both pulsating with his life force, both of them different shades of blue; one darker, one lighter. The white ether that he conjured before was no where to be seen. At first he thought that they were simply incomplete Kage-Bunshins like the ones before, but as he began to feel the subtle differences and similarities interlaid within them, he received a startling revelation.

The two bodies of energy were different from each other and himself...but yet at the same time they possessed the same feeling as he would to another replica of himself. As if also examining him, the two wispy spheres drifted towards him, stopping just inches away from him.

A pair of haunting voices, both similar and different, spoke in unison, "_We're you and you're us..._"

Before he could do anything however, the spheres rushed against him, slamming into his body and disappeared, with no hint of evidence that they ever existed. Naruto felt the emptiness within him disappear, as if filled by some unexplainable force. Despite being coupled with the shock and the strangeness of the whole situation, Naruto was more intrigued by his findings more than ever. Though he felt odd for a reason he couldn't place his finger on, the uncomfortable sensation soon melded back into nothingness, as it did with his brief feeling of emptiness. Something had changed but somehow he knew that whatever it was that happened, it wouldn't be that bad of a change.

Suddenly shivering as a draft of wind passed, Naruto looked around to see that evening has started to set in and decided that it would be for the best to return.

( I I I )

He opened his eyes suddenly.

The sounds of struggling awoke him from his dreamless state. It was still night, and uncomfortably cold. Another simper and groan forced him to shake off his drowsiness. Unfettered by the chains of sleep, he went towards the source, a room away and muted by the thin paper veneer of the shoji door. He entered, seeing Naruto thrashing wildly and noisily. Thankfully, the ruckus he had made was too quiet to awake the others. Kakashi didn't know how he would have to explain to the others otherwise, the ensuing conversation being awkward at best.

The blonde had slept with the others in the same room for the last few days but he was prone to wander back to the small but immaculately furnished herb room that Tsunami had to brew his tonics. Unusually skilled in the arts that were traditionally reserved for medic-nins and civilian physicians, Naruto also displayed an unnerving dedication to it which almost bordered on obsession. For the last two days, Naruto had wandered to and remained within this room till the next morning, brewing something or another. Even now, there was a small pot of unidentifiable liquid that was left by the boy to cool overnight.

Usually, the blonde would be alert for any change in his surroundings, but as he was now, he was completely oblivious like a new born babe. At the moment, he was flailing his arms and legs wildly, miraculously missing the wooden shelves of the jars around him. Quickly, he pinned the boy down, long enough for him to swiftly take out a vial that the Sandaime had given him just for this purpose. He opened it and placed it under the boy's nose, and within moments, the struggling died and Naruto became placid, calmed by the pleasant smell.

While Naruto was undoubtedly skilled, there was no way he could survive if he rose through the shinobi ranks. There was little question that he would eventually become a senior member of the Apothecary, the respected guild responsible for preparing poisons and other useful liquids, or even its leader, if given enough time. But to reach that status, he would have to go through a tour of duty as a regular nin for two years before being sectioned and apprenticed.

Two years of long missions that would afford no slip ups, for a boy prone to dreamless fits instead of golden silence.

To his knowledge, this had happened only twice, once during a D-rank and now; possibly a by-product on the attack on him all those years ago. It happened quite rarely in his presence but it was worrying nonetheless. Although they not that loud, Kakashi knew that there were many others of other villages who possessed the same keen hearing he had, and would not hesitate to use it to their advantage. The Chuunin missions were bad enough, but the Jounin ones (If Naruto ever manages to live or get to that point), would most definitely kill him and his entire team.

Naruto would become a liability on the field that nobody would want if his condition continued on any further and till the day when it could be cured, his future as a shinobi was bleak. That was fact.

He knew that the Sandaime was aware of this and yet...

Shaking his head, Kakashi reminded himself that it wasn't his place to question the reasoning of his leader, even if they seemed to be counter-productive. What he would have to do now is to decide whether or not to allow his team to take part in the upcoming Chuunin Exams, knowing full well the strength and weakness that Naruto would bring to his team.

It always came back to the Chuunin Exams. The most important event in every wet-behind-the-ears genin, and dare say, the elite geniuses of a clan, for you can't be much if you failed the simplest, although most definitely **_not_** **_easy_**, trial for a shinobi.

That was the crux of the matter it seemed; trial by fire which was, ironically, the way things were done in the shinobi world. Naruto would either survive it or not, simple as that. Callous, but well...life was that too. They would cross that bridge when they got to it, in any case.

'_Of course, that is, if we survive this mission_. _No point worrying about it if we're all dead._'

Kakashi turned his thoughts to other matters, ones that were far more immediate and important. The bridge was nearing completion but they still had Gatou to deal with. By now, he was sure that Zabuza had recovered from the wound he gave him earlier so that was another point to take into consideration. Naruto would be out cold until late morning or the early afternoon, thanks to both his fatigued body and the medicine he administered just now. That would only leave him with Sasuke and Sakura, whom while he believed had improved, would do little good if faced with shinobi of caliber similar to that of Zabuza.

Pushing his thoughts of impending dread backwards, he returned back to his futon, wishing to get as much sleep as he could.

After all, tomorrow was going to be interesting for sure.

( I I I )

Morning had come and with a quick word of farewells, Tazuna and the ninjas left. The blonde one, Naruto, wasn't with the rest of them, not that he cared. They could die as far as he was concerned.

It was then that they came in suddenly, a whole section of the wall cut apart like a gaping wound. Gatou's men, Inari recognized, with the ornate swords that slew those who opposed and any they wished. Out from their line of sight, Inari had fled and hidden himself into rickety old cupboard that was empty.

His mother wasn't so lucky.

"You're Tazuna's daughter right?" A male voice, not like a native of Wave, drawled, "Sorry, but yer'gonna have to come with us."

Paling immediately, he knew what was going to happen to her if she did. Used as a hostage, they'd force gramps to give himself up. And then, they'd kill them both. If she refused, she'll still be killed.

Tears streaked down his cheeks as he shook with quiet sobs. What would Naruto or even that asshat Sasuke do? Stop them? It would be easy for them since they're so strong. But...he was still weak, too weak to protect anyone. Words uttered and given came back to him, fresh in his mind like the winds that blew away the grey thunder clouds.

'_True strength is to fight when everything is against you. To struggle even when everyone else has given up.'_ A blonde, eerily quiet and calm with the weight of the world seemingly on his shoulders.

'_Fight with everything you got even if you know it's pointless. That is the mark of a person with strength.' _A raven haired boy, older than him just over five springs, with the aura of a survivor.

He wanted to believe the two; in the strength they had and the conviction they had, but he knew otherwise! He couldn't do what they would in a heartbeat, he didn't have enough strength. Then he remembered, forced upon him as the two's words made him remember of a time long ago, like the sun driving off the shade of the night.

'_If it's truly precious, even if you lose your life, you must protect it with these two hands.' _A figure of a smiling man who fought to protect all that he cared about. His dad.

As if gaining courage, Inari burst out from hiding, taking a glass bottle as he did. "Hey!" He shouted clearly, having thrown all caution to the wind, "Leave my mom alone!" Aiming the bottle at one of the thugs, he let it fly.

Normally, one would expect that the thug would be caught unawares and be injured, preferably seriously, by the make-shift projectile. Reality, however, was cruel, Inari realized as he watched the thug side-step and slice the bottle in half the moment it entered the man's sword reach.

Instead of one angry thug who worked for a despicable man, he now had two of them, one angrier than the other.

Suddenly Inari wished that at least one of the shinobi had stayed behind.

"Brat," The thug who sliced growled, "I'll teach you not to mess with us!" He then drew his arm backward for a punch which would most likely shatter Inari's jaw if it connected. The boy stood rooted to the ground, watching helplessly as his legs disobeyed his commands to run. Bracing himself for the punch, he brought his arms up as he heard his mother scream in horror.

_THUD!_

The punch never came. Opening his eyes, Inari saw Naruto standing in front of him, his hand outstretched and gripping at the offending thug's fist, despite it being bigger than his by a good deal.

"I really detest people who pick on those who can't defend themselves," The boy said with absolute calmness, "Leave peacefully before I change my mind." The thugs were less than impressed by his offer.

Unsheathing his katana, the thug closest to Tsunami grabbed her and held his blade to her throat, who promptly fainted, "One move, brat and the bitch gets it."

Naruto frowned. "I see. How unfortunate."

A moment later, two unconscious thugs were lying in a undignified heap on the floor.

"You should go check on you mother," The blonde said as he proceeded to tie up the thugs with rope. Already having propped his mother in a comfortable against the wall, Inari sat down stunned. He couldn't believe what he did just moments ago. He did not run or hide but instead stood up for his precious ones.

'_If it's truly precious, even if you lose your life, you must protect it with these two hands.' _

"Are you injured?"

Inari choked back a sniffle, replying in the steadiest voice he could manage at the moment, "No..." The room fell into a comfortable silence as Naruto finished the final knot in the ropes.

"I should probably get going." The blonde said, as he turned to leave, "My team is going to need me." He paused. "You did well, Inari, you should be proud of yourself. I'm sure your father is too."

Naruto didn't see the swelling of tears in the boy's eyes as he left.

( I I I )

To say that Kakashi expected this was an understatement.

However, to say that he was prepared for it was an overstatement.

When they had reached the bridge, they had found a few of the workers half alive and adorned with senbon. Instructing his two students to get them to the relative safety of the inland road, he quickly scanned the area for any sign of the shinobi who caused the injuries. Finding nothing but the late morning fog beyond the waters on the half-completed bridge, he began to get tense, his senses on full alert for anything that the aggressors might pull.

A small flare of chakra made him swiveled towards the west, his eye catching the unmistakable shape of sharpened steel flying towards the general vicinity of the old bridge builder behind him.

He caught the kunai a full metre to spare before it embedded itself painfully, albeit fatally, into the old man.

"You should've aimed lower." Kakashi commented to no one in particular, "You surprise me, Demon of the Mist. After all, it's harder to catch those and you're known to take as much as you can get."

Zabuza appeared in a cyclone of water a moment later. "And to think I was feeling a bit kind too..." he said, before leveling his sword towards the Jounin, "I'm gonna pay you back with interest for what you did to my leg, one eyed freak."

"You're welcome to try." Kakashi replied without interest, watching as his opponent rushed towards him. Exchanging blows for several minutes, Kakashi found himself dodging more and striking less. It also didn't help that a kunai wasn't as useful as it should be against a sword. Not to mention that it was quite taxing to deflect blows from a sword that could easily weigh as much as he did.

"Getting a bit slow, aren't you Kakashi?" Zabuza sneered as he brought his blade in a downward action that would cleave the Jounin in two. He sidestepped. The concrete spot where he was on just a moment ago was reduced to rubble. The bloody huge sword that Zabuza carried around was well worth its weight in combat.

"Not really," The silver haired Jounin replied as easily as he interwove himself between sword swipes while trading a few strikes of his own, "I should be asking you that."

His students soon arrived, to his immense relief. With the two of them around, Kakashi could concentrate on the offensive without worrying about Tazuna's safety. Sasuke and Sakura could handle whatever lower level thugs or shinobi that Zabuza, or perhaps even Gatou could bring to bear. All that however was shattered when Zabuza uttered a single word; a name.

"Haku."

Like Zabuza, a figure appeared by way of a water cyclone. His face was obscured by a hunter-nin mask. Without wasting any time at all, the boy, for he was slightly taller than Sasuke, rushed towards the direction of the two Genin. Kakashi moved to intercept, hands midway forming the rudimentary hand-seals for a Suiton jutsu, but backed off when a vicious slash forced him to break away just long enough for the boy to escape. He watched Sasuke broke off from the pair, leaving Sakura to defend the old man from any other threat.

_Boar, Ram, Monkey, Dog, Bird, Boar, Horse... _

"Hey," Zabuza scowled at the Jounin, feeling somewhat insulted, "Your opponent is me."

"Oh right," Kakashi remarked dryly, "I forgot." He formed the last seal.

_Dragon._

The bridge rumbled a bit as a water column rose up from the surrounding waters, forming the shape of a dragon. '_Suiryuudan no jutsu!_' Zabuza cursed as he quickly performed the jutsu as a counter. The two water apparitions towered over the two shinobi, before smashing each other in an overwhelming display of strength. A torrent of water splashed down over head, thoroughly soaking the two shinobi who were now a fair distance apart. Both men took the opportunity to catch a breather, taking in the faint sounds of their apprentices' battle not too far away.

"Not bad. That boy of yours is holding up pretty well against Haku...but," Zabuza said, letting his sword remain at rest, "You should pray for those brats of yours. Haku is way beyond the level of a mere genin."

"Nope. Don't need to." Kakashi replied happily, his disposition cheery despite the situation. He had confidence in Sasuke's ability to handle the Mist-nin's apprentice, or at least, fight him to a standstill. Then he caught sight of an orange blur that announced to him that Naruto had just joined the fray.

( I I I )

He was fast.

Whoever the man, no, **_child_** may be, he was insanely quick, by far the fastest opponent that he faced before. Excitement of facing such a worthy opponent soon faded however, as he began to get outclassed. As it was, he could barely keep up with the staccato like pace his adversary had set. He knew that he could use Phoenix Rising to go faster but there was one thing stopping him.

The Sharingan.

Like Kakashi had said before, during the Bell test, his clan's Taijutsu style would only be effective if one possessed the Sharingan, for without it he wouldn't be able to see his own moves and to act accordingly. Then again, the quick jabs and strikes the other nin was peppering across his body were too fast for him to intercept without it. Deciding it would be best to try to match the other's speed, Sasuke channeled chakra into his arms, feeling as if the limits of the human flesh were removed from them and that he could do anything he needed to win. That unmistakable feeling of pure power.

The battle slowly turned to his favor, as he began to dodge lesser and strike out more, managing to score a few hits that he was sure would hurt as they struck clean. Sasuke could feel confidence building up in chest when previously there had been none, the feeling that he would prevail in the end. Then, it was crushed as the other ninja blurred out of sight, moving too fast for the eye to see and sent his fist into his gut.

It was almost as if his opponent was toying with him. Sasuke became stronger only fall short as his opponent was even stronger than the previous moment, minute, second ago, with the promise of victory becoming ever faint as time wore on. Even using Phoenix Rising, Sasuke knew that he wasn't fast enough. Nor strong enough.

_Weak, little brother, so pathetically weak..._

Just as he was about to give in, a mocking voice, cold and aloof woke him up like a splash of ice water to the face. He will not lose. Not now, not ever.

Then, it happened.

To his opponent, the Uchiha's eyes shifted from onyx to bright crimson.

To Sasuke, a slight ache in his eyes was all that signaled the evolution of his bloodline, but he brushed it off as an after-effect of fatigue. He blinked and couldn't help but marvel at the change in his perception.

Suddenly whatever speed his opponent had demonstrated moments before became painfully slow to him, it was almost as if all the awesome speed and mobility his opponent possessed was stripped from him, leaving behind a mere shell.

Anticipating the punch as it sailed towards him, Sasuke guided it away from him, passing through the other boy's defense and landed a hard blow to his gut. He flipped back when the masked nin tried to stab him with a senbon.

"Heh," Sasuke smirked, "You gotten slower. Is that it?"

"Wrong." said the nin for the first time, in a voice that belonged to a young boy, "I can go much faster than this." Mumbling something that Sasuke couldn't hear over the distance, he watched as the boy did the impossible task of forming a seal with only one hand.

Sheets of ice as thick as his arm began to form around him, like a pack of cards, blocking out any route of escape. Not that he was going to, either way.

Giving the formation of ice a brief glance, Sasuke began to form the first of the seals of his favorite jutsu. Fire melts everything.

"**_Katon: Goukakuu no jutsu!_**"

Summoning up an impressive amount of flame, he systematically swirled in a circle, clouds of steam blanketing the area when flame met ice. When the last of the vapor disappeared, he expected the sheets to be gone. To his shock, they stood thick as ever as though the flame didn't melt them.

"You lose." And then, the unpleasant sensation of pain as a countless barrage of senbon pierced his body.

Sasuke cursed as he descended into darkness.

( I I I )

When Naruto arrived, Sasuke was like a pin-cushion the seamstresses in Konoha used. Despite this, he knew that the Uchiha was alive, placed into a state of false death by the manipulation of acupuncture points. He gave the masked nin a glance.

"You didn't kill him." He said, as if seeing technically dead team mates was a regular occurrence. "Why?"

His question brought the missing-nin to laughter.

"Shouldn't you be angry that your comrade looks like he's already dead?"

"That is true, but irrelevant." Naruto said, finding the voice familiar, "Why didn't you kill him when you had the chance? You certainly had a lot of opportunity to do so."

The shinobi laughed again. "You're an interesting person, Uzumaki Naruto." The shinobi removed his mask, revealing the face of Haku.

If Naruto was surprised, he didn't show it. "Haku-san."

He asked a single question. "How?"

Haku smiled, it was a sad one, "Naruto-san, do you have a purpose in this life?"

Haku told him about his past, how he had been shunned by everyone, how he been left to die without not a single person caring until he met Zabuza and how he was now a weapon for him to use to fulfill his dream, and how it brought meaning to his life and existence. In another time and in another universe, Naruto may have felt sympathy and maybe even a bond towards the boy. But there was only calm acceptance. Naruto could accept it because their roles in life have already been set by some great force of cosmic irony and that the trade of a shinobi often brought bitter and sometimes, laughable irony. Only one of them would leave alive. Naruto was bound to his duty as much as Haku was bound to his loyalty to Zabuza.

"It looks like we have no other choice but to fight." Naruto raised his kunai, "It all depends on your master, right?"

Haku looked apologetic. "I'm sorr-"

_**SPLAT!**_

Blood, copious amounts of it erupted from his chest as steel emerged from it. Disbelieving, Haku stared at the blade which had run him through, watching as blood flowed from the mortal wound. Trying to speak, Haku only succeeded to cough up more of his life fluid. A vicious jerk later, the blade was wrenched free, causing Haku's limp form to fall to the ground.

"Za...bu..za-san..." He rasped out, his attention no longer to Naruto or his assailant.

Naruto had seen and dealt death before, so he wouldn't be as affected as someone who didn't. But as he saw the life in Haku's eyes beginning to fade, something within him snapped. Out of all the people he had fought, Haku was someone who deserved better than death. Though the idea of dedicating one's entire life to a single person was foreign to him, he knew it was sacred and noble.

Arm outstretched towards the direction of his precious person, Haku tried to crawl but was stopped by a bone-crushing stomp to his back. "Traitors don't get any last wishes granted, Haku-chan." Naruto turned his eyes towards the nin who began to grind his foot against the broken back of the boy. Forcing the unknown emotion back down as he watched, Naruto deduced that the man was from the Mist, judging from the hitat-ate covered his right eye. The man took his katana and in a downward stab, pierced the boy again. Struggling very hard not scream from the pain, Haku could not help but let out a little croak.

"Aw, isn't it sad, Haku-chan?" The Mist-nin asked mockingly, giving the dying boy a good kick, "It's a pity trash can only remain trash in the end. I'm so going to enjoy killing that bastard, Zabuza."

"Don't...y-you...dare...ahhhhh!" He started, screaming as the shinobi twisted the blade painfully before falling silent. "Tsk, tsk, now Haku-chan, you shouldn't raise your voice at me. It's rude, ne?" Twisting the blade again, he was disappointed at the lack of any thrashing or screaming. In fact, the boy made no movement or sound at all. Realizing what has happened, the ninja cursed. "Damn weakling, he expired so fast..." Naruto, at this point, began shaking. Haku didn't deserve this, it was unfair.

"Oh," he said as if noticing the existence of Naruto for the first time, before grinning as he watched Naruto shake with what he thought was fear, "I'll spare you, little Leaf brat, if you beg for mercy like a dog. Haku-chan here didn't quite satisfy." The man's eyes were pitiless, finding amusement in death and pain of others, "Gatou-san wanted to kill him personally for breaking his arm."

'_I exist to protect my precious person.' _

Naruto saw red and for the first time, felt something rage within his chest. It was not the emptiness that he felt most of the time, not calm nor void, but something stronger. Primal and...savage in its energy. Instinctively, he moved, without the restraints that the terrain and he had placed upon him. It was flat and it was wide, and he sought to kill, not fight. And that was enough reason for him. Crafted steel met his blade just as it was about to bury itself deep within the man's jugular.

"Tsk, tsk, little Leaf child," the man admonished him calmly as if the kunai in Naruto's hand was made of paper, "You sure are awfully quick with your blade, given your circumstance." With a strength born from years dedicated to a life of violence, the Mist-nin shrugged off the weight Naruto had placed on his blade, causing the boy to lose his footing, allowing the older, experienced and ruthless shinobi to place a hard punch to his gut which forced him to gasp. "How presumptuous of you to take on a Jounin, little _Genin_," A sharp pain in his back made itself know to him as the man brought the hilt of his sword crashing down into him, "Forget my previous offer, _boy_, entertain me so and I'll grant you a swift death, or else...well, I'd leave that up to your wondrous imagination then shall we?"

Despite the shock and pain, Naruto rolled, dodging the foot that descended towards his unprotected belly. Hands quickened into familiar shapes, summoning up a dozen or so clones, all of them juiced up with enough chakra to turn his enemy into a smoldering mess if they so wished.

The Mist-nin saw this, and quickly jumped a distance away, whistling as he appraised the sudden increase of orange clad Genins. "Nice group of little clones you got there. Obscene amount of chakra you've got in each one too," he said loudly, and waited for the boy to respond. He received silence instead and scowled. "Eh, you're no fun at all, you stinking emotionless doll. I hope those aren't illusions either because," An aura of pure malice exploded from his figure, "I'll **kill** you."

_I'll kill you._

_I'll kill you._

_I'll kill you._

_I'LL KILL YOU._

Something unhinged, deep within his self, so deep that he did not truly know the extent of this...change, he could not stop it even if he had tried. His clones, prepared to unveil the first step , burst in smoke, leaving the air around him in a acrid stench of chakra unspent.

And then, it happened.

_THUMP._

Jutsus flashed across his mind, ones that burned, ones that crushed, ones that suffocated, some familiar but many others not so, most of them being down right alien to his mind. Glimpses vanished to nothing as information poured into him, denying any insight to the vast amount of knowledge that was being dragged forth from his soul. He did not know them but knew, deep down within himself, that he should. Two parts of him that he never knew existed surfaced, as the burst of knowledge faded only to allow sensations that he had only read about, one which sought to embrace this change while the other repulsed it. Torn by the almost ravenous feelings to both revel in and to repel this unexplained gift, Naruto was almost drunk in the fury of emotion that he felt. Joy, sorrow, fear, regret, contentment, he felt all these things in the miasma of thought that coursed through him. Anger broke him out of his cycle and focused his will, preventing himself to be dragged again by this foreign and disconcerting thing he had awakened.

_THUMP._

Through the faint whispers and even awareness of his being, all he knew was that he commanded power that was his to wield but was not truly his, in the vaguest sense of the word. But it was also power and knowledge that was rapidly escaping his grasp, as if it was not his at all, despite the strong sense within his being that this intoxicating feel belonged to **_him_**. All he knew now was that the boon that he had been granted would vanish soon and then he would be as he was, helpless. Hastened by anger and urgency, he ploughed through his now almost infinite library of techniques even as much of it simply vanished and continued to do so at an alarming pace. And after what seemed like as eternity to him, when he had found what he was looking for, Naruto did not question the whys or hows of it, for he did not think, no, he was incapable of thought, logic stripped away from him in exchange for power.

And so, he began to chant, words and syllables that no human tongue should be capable of producing. The air itself became still before it vibrated and hummed, heat permeating the area like a mist, as if preparing for the arrival of something...sinister.

The Jounin, before so ever confident of his victory, felt a cold chill running down his spine. The Genin, no, a creature that was in the shape of this boy, made him afraid. Words failed him as he watched the thing before him utter litanies of an alien language, each consonant made to sound as if it were born from a scream of pain, suffering and endless toil.

"What sorcery is this-"

And he finished, the boy clamping his mouth shut the moment the last syllable left his lips.

A large ugly rip in space appeared above him, and the warm air turned unbearably scorching. From within its deep depths, came dozens of hands, grappling the stunned Jounin and wrenching him free from the ground. He did not know what he had done to bring the black portal into existence, the knowledge wrenched free from him the second he had finished. A muted scream from within forced him to gaze upon its abyssal depths. From there, he caught a visage of himself, older and dressed in finery that both alien and stunning to behold, standing in the midst of creatures too foreign for his mind to comprehend. But while his own eyes were that of a deep cerulean hue, his doppelganger possessed the eyes of a demon, eyes that constantly shifted its colour from crimson, amber, emerald and so many others that he lost count.

His breath hitched as his other self met his stare with one of his own, the straight line of his lips curving into a full grin, revealing long canines and pearly white teeth. One that was filled with malevolent amusement. Not a moment too soon, did the dark portal close, sewing itself into the meld of reality once more, leaving behind nothing. And just as _it_ had unhinged before, it closed from within, stripping him of all that it had bestowed upon him for a brief moment.

He felt faint, confused, drained, and very bruised but alright. He couldn't say the same of the boy lying in a pool of his own blood. Quickly, he reached for his pouch, where he stored a few vials of crimson life giving liquid, and letting it flow into Haku's mouth .

"It is too...late for me, not even that which you've given me would help..." Haku coughed out, blood spluttering forth as well as medicine, before attempting to smile. "You should...be more concerned...with your sensei..." What little life that remained within his eyes vanished and Haku was no more.

_THUMP_.

He tried to calm himself, the heavy pressure in his chest not relenting despite his efforts.

_THUMP_.

His breathing became ragged, the area around his heart beginning to alternate between hot and cold.

_THUMP_.

**COME CHILD, YOU SUMMONED ME BEFORE AND YOU CAN DO SO AGAIN.**

_THUMP_.

_THUMP_.

There was something familiar, just like before. But this one was...different too , and he let it guide him.

_THUMP_.

_THUMP_.

( I I I )

It had been a tough fight, but Kakashi got out of it better than Zabuza did. Though almost completely drained of chakra, Kakashi was glad that he still retained the motor functions of his limbs. He was about to deliver the final blow in the form of Raikiri when sensed something unusual from beyond the bridge.

And then, they came.

"Well, well," A voice echoed through the fog, "That had been a wonderful show."

Zabuza seemed to recognize the voice. "Gatou!"

Not too far away, stood a rather wealthily dressed man, with a smile that seemed to suck. Surrounding him were a good number of mainland thugs who brandished not so common katanas and the unmistakable presence of ninja. "Your contract and your usefulness have come to an end, I'm afraid! I already sent a professional after that brat of yours."

"Kakashi," Zabuza whispered, "The mission's off, and I've no interest to fight you anymore. We clear?"

Commanding his dog summons to relinquish their grip on the man, he said, "Yeah. We're clear."

"Kunai." The man asked and Kakashi obliged.

Using his teeth to grip the kunai, Zabuza charged. No matter how good a ninja was, being outnumbered while seriously injured, meant certain death. Though he took out a few of the shinobi and a number of the Yakuza thugs, he eventually succumbed to sheer amount of steel blades embedded into his flesh. Gatou just shifted nervously his tie when the dying Zabuza collapsed a few metres away from him. Regaining his arrogant smirk, he looked at Kakashi, "Now, Leaf-nin-"

A shockwave of energy swept across the entire area, before the very air seemed to solidify, creating the distinct feeling of suffocation. Kakashi shivered; he recognized this horrible feeling, having felt it once before. A second wave, this time one of release, surged over the surroundings, far greater than the one before it. Power, pure and simple, radiated over the whole area, causing many to freeze as the human instinct to **_survive_** kicked in. They did not have time to run however as an utterly inhumane roar later brought everyone's eyes behind.

What they saw brought many to their knees.

A Hydra, with its menacing amber eyes glaring with utter and contemptuous malice and size which seemed to make mountains look like dwarves, was probably the most terrible sight that most of the thugs had to behold in their lives. Its three heads began to descend from the far reaches of its height, each moment bringing the terrible creature ever closer towards them.

To Kakashi, it was the most fearful thing he had seen since the Kyuubi. Thoughts of the Kyuubi made him turn his attention to Naruto, who was probably the only one who could summon out such a monster on such short notice. The monster, for no jutsu could ever hope to replicate such life-like ferocity without the actual use of a spirit, roared its anger and began to lumber towards the mass of thugs, who were rooted to the ground by the sheer aura of presence that the Hydra produced. Not even the Mist-nins who were arguably more able than he was to escape this imitation of a great beast were spared. Kakashi figured that it was time for him to flee. Picking up Zabuza's sword, he turned and ran. The last sight he saw when he turned was that of the three gigantic jaws snapping shut.

He stopped a fair distance away, waiting as the leviathan watched him from afar. If it wanted to let him have the same fate as of those it swallowed, then there was no use in running. Water was its element and they were in the middle of a sea channel. Minutes passed and the water creature was content to sink back into the depths from whence it came, as the chakra which infused it with sentience was fading.

Moving up the length of the bridge, he found Naruto drenched in blood as he sat beside a bloodied body of boy, probably the masked-nin before. Sasuke lay on the ground unconscious, surrounded by many bloodied senbon. He looked badly hurt but was in no danger of dying yet.

Noticing the approaching Jounin, Naruto slumped as if relieved. "I'm tired." Was all he said before he collapsed into peaceful oblivion.

* * *

A/N: Unbeta-ed. May contain possibly spelling errors and whatnot. First, I'll answer some questions from the reviewers. Will be converted to something longer as I'm rushing to get this posted at the moment. I would probably address the issue you people may or may not have with this chapter in the next edit. Edited as of Dec 13, 2006.

**Is this going to be a Kyuubi/Naruto pairing?**

Nope. Heck, no romance is planned for the fic. Or until I decide whether it's feasible to incorporate it.

**Is the next chapter going to take as long?**

The next chapter would be far shorter than this one, about a quarter of this chapter. However, because of my final exams, there won't be any writing done for the next two months, though I will be releasing a batch of chapters at a time to compensate, as I restart my other Naruto works thanks to free time.

**The ending seemed rushed. Why?**

Well, it could be damn detailed like the earlier start of the chapter but the total word count for the content of the chapter is 10k+. Adding more would only cause a longer delay, and besides, I suck terribly at battle scenes anyway.

**Erm...is that it? **

Yup, I hope that this chapter is to everyone's liking. Leave a comment or question if you want and I will do my best to answer. As always, reading and reviewing is much appreciated!


	11. Chapter 11

First and foremost...

I lied. This chapter isn't a quarter of the previous chapter. Its' more like it has ¾ of its predecessor. I didn't expect it to be as long as it did, but my original plan for it was scrapped away to be replaced with a bigger idea which was then shoved aside to accommodate a even bigger idea which was then...you get the idea, pun intended. And thus, we have this monster of a chapter. Quite the pleasant surprise after 2 months of inactivity and the promise of something half its current size, isn't it?

**IMPORTANT**: At the time of this release, the previous chapter has been changed with new content, most notably towards the fight. Read that portion before reading this one.

(Skip to the story for those not interested)

To the reviewer, who vaguely identified her/him as 'a person', commented about how sexist I am in the way I'm writing this story, I would like to ask you how am I being a sexist? (And besides, you quoted me wrong, the 'Kunoichi have very low reserves' part was part of the dialogue by Kakashi and not a statement on my part. Suffice to say, you should have just taken it with a pinch of salt.) If it is my portrayal of kunoichi that you are concerned with, then let put it in a simpler analogy; let's say a male has the chakra to create two fireballs in the beginning, the stating level if you will, but with the control to only make one. The female on the other hand, has the control to make two but can't due to insufficient chakra. In the end both can only make one, compensating each other fairly. If they want to make two, they would simply have to work on the area that is hindering them. But the male would always lose to the female in control but outshine in the capacity for chakra and vice versa. The ability to produce more fireballs would depend on the level of development in each field at that point within their body's limits. That is basically the difference between genders aside from anatomical/psychological ones, as far as this story is concerned. I don't see why this is so sexist in all honesty.

As for the 'Irony that the greatest demon...is female', let me ask you this, is it so wrong for people to assume that a demon, one that had just annihilated a great portion of their village, to be male, especially if it is one that does not have any visible characteristics to prove otherwise? Do you want me to acknowledge gender equality and change my writing style to leave out or modify any sentence or phrase which might be seen as overtly sexist because said phrase has, for example, suggested that it was be a irony that something so evil that it was male _wasn't_, because that was what you were implying to me when you commented on it about it being sexist. Why would you want to make a fuss about me not slighting the fairer sex by stating it an irony for an great evil to be female because of 'gender equality', seeing that evil is generally associated with us male types (a somewhat good thing, I might add), is beyond my understanding. To prove my point, people expect the worst things from males, let's face it, if you want proof, go and either watch the news on the days when there is much politicking about or leaf through a history book. (I'm aware that there were a few exceptions to that, but I discount those because those were crappy times)

And besides that I don't think they have such a thing called the universal suffrage in Naruto, not to mention the setting that it is in, so any sexist remark can and may be attributed to maintain canon and it's not that I try my very best to be sexist either. But I shall stop my rant on this now, for I'm sure that it would digress and offend most of the more sensitive readers here. Hopefully what I have written here will be concise enough for a level headed reader to understand I do not wish for another repeat of this kind anymore.

But hey, we can't please everyone, can we?

And if it is not too much to ask, could you (or any other disgruntled reader for that matter) at least leave an open avenue in which I may contact you around? It is rather frustrating when you people criticize me for something I'm not without giving me the chance to defend myself if at all. I don't flame people if that is what you're worried about, and nor am I susceptible to the childish urge to spam. Use your account if you're worried. One last request to any future critics or dissatisfied readers, make your arguments more solid and more than one line with punctuation, damnit, it makes me feel as if a kid was arguing to his teacher that the sky is indeed a cuddly warm purple despite proof to prove otherwise. And as for the 'horrible person' comment, I'd take that as a compliment. Makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Still, if I were to be deemed 'horrible' by your standards, you should get out more often.

Now, on to the chapter!

* * *

"Blah" denotes speech. 

_Blah! _denotes sound.

'_Blah'_ denotes thoughts.

'**BLAH**' denotes Demon talking.

* * *

Haruno Sakura was puzzled, if not because of the relatively soft feel of cloth, then by the stinging numbness in her limbs and upper back caused by the lack of use. By all accounts, she should have still been on that half-finished bridge, providing a little more than a meat shield for Tazuna, the wizened bridge builder. It was a sad realization for Sakura but it was true; aside from the Genjutsu that she had acquired, her combat ability was virtually nil as she was unable to perform even that. Also, everything that she had learned up to that point in her 'apprenticeship' in the mental arts were all nothing but illusionary distractions. Kakashi had already stated that the beginning phase would be the hardest of all to pass, as her skill was too unrefined and untested to move on to more advanced and difficult techniques. 

On the brighter side of things, she could resume her exploration and development of her abilities soon, the artificial treatment having lifted a huge block that had been on her mind before. Though her ability to use Genjutsu was rather limited at the moment, she could feel the faint hint of clarity, lying underneath the currents of the migraine which was weakening slowly but surely with the passage of time. Before, she was doubtful of herself to even perform, let alone create, a Genjutsu of her own but now, graced by the shortcut that Kakashi given her, she _knew_ she could do it and perhaps even more. After all, Genjutsu was what one made it to be.

Turning her thoughts to the reason why she had blacked out, she frowned at how little she actually remembered about it.

All that she remembered before succumbing to darkness was that terrible wave of power that suffocated her and the **_thing_** that emerged from the water. Her breath hitched and chest tight, she had thought that something was crushing her underfoot with the barest acknowledgment of her presence.

Waking up on a futon, Sakura wasn't sure if her memory on the bridge was all but one big weird dream. Moments later, the wavering migraine that flared into life had put an end to that theory. It hadn't hurt so much before...that was, until she got onto that bridge and blacked out. .

Upon questioning the Jounin at the earliest opportunity, Kakashi meekly admitted that he had been the one to unleash whatever creature that had been responsible for her blackout, thereafter launching into a tirade that was almost ridiculous as his excuses for lateness. Regardless, his tale sated her, suggesting to her that the Jounin wished not to disclose anything that she might have missed. She could tell that something was bugging him, but decided to acquiesce to his wish and not to press further.

The dead had been buried and seen to by Kakashi, as no one was able to do it. Naruto was either preoccupied with removing the senbon from Sasuke, catching up on his sleep or brewing up more esoteric drugs that Sakura had very little knowledge of.

The entire ordeal had only served to increase the intensity of her artificially induced head pains, and she was loathe to admit that medicine could not have withstood the rigors of tension, though she wished that Naruto could have spared her another vial of Clarity potion, the name of the draught that was responsible for suppressing her headaches and currently keeping Naruto in tip top shape in his endless duties until he was due for sleep. But she shouldn't be complaining about her mild discomforts. In terms of injuries, she received the lightest of them all, which was none at all. Sasuke-kun had gotten the worst of the ordeal, who was at the moment being fed drugs, courtesy of Naruto, to keep him from convulsing from the removal of the senbon that struck many vital nerves that were needed for movement. It pained her to see her beloved Sasuke-kun like this, but she quelled it, with the help of Inner Sakura who was berating her for not being strong enough to prevent his condition.

She tended to him, often administering him drugs in cups or wiping the sweat off his face. Part of her did it out of obligation, as the rest were doing more important things, like ensuring that Tazuna-san was guarded even though the threat to him had already been eliminated (Another lesson that Kakashi had imparted onto her was to prepare for the unexpected), leaving her to be free in her care of the Uchiha. The other part of her however, a vast majority in this case, did it in hopes of earning recognition from her crush/love. Hopefully, her efforts would be rewarded and then...

Sakura did not continue that line of thought, though a faint blush graced her cheeks not a moment to soon as she fantasized. As expected, Sasuke woke up, feeling sore but alive, after two days of heavy medication. He was greeted by the sight of an overly eager kunoichi who proceeded to _smother_ him needlessly. Suffice to say, he proceeded to shrug off her warm and well-intended advances to say the least.

Despite the obvious difference in physical health (or maybe because of the cold shoulder Sasuke seemed to be giving her), she found herself more concerned with Naruto over time, who had been silent over the course of the following days. It was not as if it was unusual for him to be quiet for long periods of time, but rather, it was the feeling of tension and general sense of melancholy that the boy was broadcasting for everyone to see. But there was more to it, she knew, even behind the sheen of anxiety, and brooding, there was also...fear.

But the question remained. The fear of what exactly?

She frowned, there was no doubt something about...off about her blonde teammate and she would get to the bottom of it if it didn't go away soon.

* * *

"_The particularity of Konoha that set it apart from other villages was that it had two leaders, both of whom were sworn brothers, having performed a blood oath after many years of friendship forged through the blood soaked fields of battle. The other hidden villages of the continent at the time had been ruled by the most ruthless and strongest of their shinobi, where friends were often more dangerous than enemies, thus making this situation of cooperation in the Hidden Village of Leaves a eccentric one. _

_Both were notable figures in the shinobi world; the Shodaime of the Leaf, a man of reputable honor and immortal strength, was distinguished by his unique Mokoton Jutsu. The Nidaime, arguably the best water user there was, surpassing even the subsequent Kages of the Mist in their uncanny affinity towards the element, however had no such style or technique that set him apart from a normal Mist-nin until the onslaught of the Second Secret World War. _

_Some time during the harshest periods of fighting against the allied Water-Lightning Nations, the Nidame of the Village of Hidden Leaves, had challenged Hairyuujin, the mythical beast of the sea, for reasons unknown, to a duel. Rumors say that he did so for the freedom of a great beauty that is not of this world, kept bound by the Lord of the Sea , others say that he needed a great artifact of power that was stashed within the great creature's horde; a rumor that had some claim when he returned victorious with the Raijin, the mythical sword of lightning. Despite his legendary skill, he was proclaimed mad and undeniably foolish by his peers of the realm; for the great dragon was omnipotent, its three heads rumored to represent the three aspects of humanity; wisdom, patience and fury. Many among the then fledging council of Fire had thought it a wasteful and superfluous endeavor for the strength used against a deity was strength that could be better used against the Mist, which was at then the largest and most powerful of the villages at that point in time. Their worries were not without merit; Guarded by vaunted samurai legions of the previous empire and its territory protected by the natural barrier the seas provided which the Mist greatly exploited through its shinobi, the country of Water was an unassailable fortress, mildly put. _

_Despite great skepticism, the Nidaime went ahead anyway, his reasons for doing so still eluding historians to this date. Many others however, speculate that it was perhaps due to his desire to gain the same fame as his brother had done or to end the bloody conflict that was bringing ruin and misery to the people in a manner that did not involve cold steel and blood. Regardless, it mattered little as to what his motive was, know only that he answered the dragon king's call for mortal battle. The following battle yielded no records but those of hearsay and rumors that shall not be listed here. Know only that the Nidaime emerged victorious and that the great dragon perished in its refusal to yield, its spirit remaining within the blue depths of the ocean that was its home. _

_This is where fact ends and rumors begin. It is known that the sword of lightning was taken by the Nidaime from that battle, but others say that he had claimed another, far greater weapon, one that was not obvious to the human eye. According to accounts of varying degrees of accuracy from that time, the great dragon also allowed the Nidaime to bind its spirit to a jutsu, making it possible to summon it out to battle so long as it was in the sea. The power of the spirit and the conditions of using it made it ideal for the Nidaime, and to the greater extent, Konoha, to use against the Mist. Despite the swift respite it would give to the war-torn lands of Fire, it is said that the Nidaime protested against it's use upon his return to Konoha and subsequent appeal to the Assembly of Lords, the council of the ruling lords of the land. However, driven by the unbearable losses suffered in terms of life and coin, the Assembly offered the Nidaime two choices; use what he had gained to save the very nation he had sworn fealty to or face exile and the scorn of the people who had misplaced their trust in a betrayer. _

_Left with no choice, the Nidaime unleashed a tsunami which rumors say took the shape of a great dragon, the very dragon that he had defeated before, onto the Mist. Accounts say that it had been responsible for flooding three quarters of the country of Water and fully submerging half of its lands, and along with it the vast majority of its legions awaiting for a land invasion within its now submerged harbors. With this fatal blow to the infrastructure of the now ruined nation, diplomats were sent and a peace treaty had been drawn up by both sides. Peace between the two lasted long, in shinobi terms; the Leaf having no interest in the Mist as it focused its might against Lightning while the country of Water quietly rebuilt, intent more on reconstruction than on conquest. Seeing the amount of destruction that the Nidaime feared it would bring, legend has it that he had sealed the spirit into a scroll so well hidden and guarded that no other may find and use it. No records have been found about the technique that had brought a entire nation to its knees since then and has remained so for decades, leaving many to speculate upon its existence if at all until now..." _– An extract from a biography of the famed Nidaime of Konoha.

( I I I )

The Savant

Written by legacyZero

( I I I )

They had returned to the village proper after recuperating for a few days. Tazuna had promised the Jounin an A-rank mission pay that was to be delivered to Konoha once the bridge began bringing in the much-needed revenue for Wave to rebuild itself. Kakashi believed the old man, for one does not go about promising things to shinobi without delivering them. Unpleasant things tended to happen if one did otherwise.

Other than the delayed payment, the mission was a total success in the eyes of the mission administration. On the psychological side of things however, the mission did much to destabilize the delicate equilibrium that had existed before. The Uchiha was actively brooding, outdoing himself at this self-imposed skill, despite having discovered that he had awakened his bloodline. Whatever measure of acceptance that teamwork and hardship had given him was now very much diminished, the Uchiha sending a look of distaste at the blonde member of his team from time to time during the trek back to Konoha. The fact that his ego had taken a blow was making him act like a kid who was denied his favored toy, though even with his said favored toy, he still tended to brood about the other 'toys' he didn't have.

Sakura, on the other hand, was unaffected by the doom-and-gloom aura that Sasuke had adopted. But the silence was grating on her when it shouldn't be, and she did not relish holding a conversation with her sensei, who was at the moment, preoccupied with a copy of _Icha Icha Paradise!_ and a newer volume which was a sequel to the former entitled _Make Out Violence!_ The group had encountered a peddler of goods on the way and Kakashi was absolutely delighted to find that the man carried stock of his favorite novel and it's sequel. Since acquiring the two books, the Jounin had been giggling and humming cheerfully ever since.

Torn between dreadful silence and a teacher who was at the moment, being a mega-pervert, Sakura resigned herself to her thoughts.

Naruto, who remained at the back of the group, was very much immersed within his thoughts, more so than the other members of his team. The battle on the bridge had given him some insight on being a shinobi, but it confused him and to an extent, disgusted him. While he understood that shinobi were tools, the way that nin had dispensed his duty...sickened him. A golden rule in the trade was to be detached, but Haku's executioner relished in death, probably having become a monster because of it.

And touching on his feelings on the subject of Haku, he didn't know what to feel about the boy's death. He had done his duty, and Haku had done his. Haku understood Death was a constant companion in this world of shadows, never far from you and always waiting. It was a rule that he knew that every shinobi would know.

Despite his confusion over Haku, there were other, more pressing things that troubled him. For the past few days, his mind would wander to the fight between him and the Mist Jounin. It wasn't the fight that bothered him so much but it was what that had transpired during it that made him so...anxious. He didn't like the feeling at all.

What he had done bordered on impossible, and it would be folly to believe it as the truth. But he knew it was real, felt the whispers and surge of emotions that unbalanced him too greatly for it to be a delusion of his mind.

There was something wrong with him, and he knew that the technique he performed two days before the attack was responsible. For now, there were no signs of it happening again, and for that he was thankful. He would try his best to find out what was wrong and fix it if he could, but that was for another time and for now he wished to forget about it.

As if tossing it into the bin, Naruto filed the matter away, and along with it, the unsettling feeling within his gut. Immediately, he felt better as the sensation left him and he was back to feeling nothing at all.

( I I I )

Once within the village gates, the Jounin turned about to face his students, eyes crinkled in that jovial manner unique to him. The smut novels were no where in visible sight, thought a certain pinked-haired member of the group.

"Well, this is where we three part ways, you three best be going home now. No doubt you're all tired." Kakashi said, "Take the next day off, we'll meet on next day after that, alright?" Before any of the Genin could respond, the masked Jounin disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving the trio on their own.

Nodding their goodbyes or outright ignoring etiquette altogether, the three gone their separate ways. It was early evening, and the lights of the establishments along the streets were lit in preparation for the coming night. Naruto found himself gravitating towards Ichikaru's, and with a rumble from his stomach, he decided it was best to eat out at the moment.

Entering the ramen shop, he was greeted by its owner who was pleased at the return of his number one customer. Naruto returned the greeting before catching sight of one Umino Iruka. He took a seat next to him, quietly ordering three bowls of miso ramen.

"_Konbanwa, _sensei," he said, startling the seated man. Iruka looked haggard, but managed to utter out a greeting anyway, "Ah, Naruto, good evening to you too."

"You look like you need some sleep, sensei." He observed, "I don't think you're the type who would willingly spend the whole night awake without good reason."

"Oh," The Chuunin becoming slightly self conscious of his appearance, "Well, the Academy is a little short handed and it is the mid terms, so..." He didn't have to explain that the tests and their grading were tedious to Naruto, who had been subjected to them not too long ago.

"Here." Digging out a vial from his backpack, Naruto handed it over to a skeptical Iruka.

"What is this?" The man questioned, examining the vial of clear liquid.

"It is something that would make you feel better." Iruka gave Naruto a look, but figured decided to give the boy the benefit of doubt. He drank the concoction, which was a bit bitter though he immediately perked up, all signs of fatigue vanishing from his body.

"Hey," Iruka exclaimed, to his surprise, as he began to feel refreshed for the first time in days, "It works!"

Naruto had a look of faint annoyance that the Chuunin missed, lasting as fast as it appeared on his face. He didn't understand why people doubted his skills every time.

"The effect is going to last until mid-night, and you'd have to rest after that or else you'll feel even more tired tomorrow."

"Thanks, Naruto, you saved me from a lot of trouble today," Iruka said, a smile on his face, "I'm guessing that you've already secured an apprenticeship?"

"What?" The blonde's response made the Chuunin pause, causing his smile to fade.

"Then, how did you manage to make this?" He pointed to the empty vial.

This time, Iruka did not miss the look of irritation flashing in the blonde's eyes. "I learned it by myself, of course."

"Did you know it is illegal to create certain drugs without a license?" Iruka sighed, "If I'm correct, the potion you just given me should be classified as a controlled substance. One that needs a license for you produce legally."

Naruto frowned, eyebrows arching and lips curving ever so slightly in displeasure, "I was not aware of that."

Iruka nodded, "That you didn't, and if you'll allow me to explain..."

He motioned for the man to continue.

The Chuunin slipped into his teaching mode, "As you know, not all the people in the village are shinobi, and many of them are involved in services and trades that make the village function as best as it can independently from the outside world."

"Take for example, the weapon smiths that provide the tools that we use. We cannot rely on the city smiths for our supply because of the possibility of disruption and sabotage, the same goes for our medicines and to a lesser extent, our food." Naruto gave a nod, digging into his bowl of ramen as the chef placed it in front of him.

"To ensure that nothing is compromised and of the highest quality possible, a license system was introduced to every trade directly related to our profession to ensure the overall quality of products being used for missions were the best as they can be."

Naruto looked up from his empty bowl, "But wouldn't it be difficult for me to obtain a license if I were already a shinobi? I imagine that it would be hard to be a shinobi and a full-time smith at the same time."

"Of course not," Iruka said, not noticing that Naruto went on to his second bowl, "Or else I wouldn't have been mistaken about you having a license now, would I?" Naruto didn't respond and the teacher moved on.

"In fact, many Genin are encouraged to take up a trade that has indirect relations to being a shinobi. The most common one that most take, would be the apprenticeship in iron works, so they wouldn't have to buy their kunai. As the Genin payout per mission is pitiful, and the cost of a decent set of kunai prohibitive, I imagine that most would rather make their own. Of course, with a master to supervise their efforts in exchange for providing an extra hand at the forge, they would be able to create whatever tools they need for missions, given enough time in training."

"But there's a catch to it. To obtain a license, as I said before, one has to undertake an apprenticeship under a veteran member of the trade he or she wishes to learn. In exchange for labor, the master would teach his apprentice the amount of knowledge necessary to obtain the license specified in their agreement, would be in most cases, written. Of course, the level of knowledge is equivalent to amount of time one must serve in an apprenticeship. For example, most kunai-making agreements are usually about three weeks long. Sword crafting would at least take more than a month, depending on the skills and technique required."

Iruka paused to catch his breath, looking to see if Naruto was still listening. Seeing the boy who was gorging himself on noodles, he remained silent. Enraptured by his food, it took a while before the boy to notice, who promptly motioned for the man to continue.

"Please, do continue. I can listen while I eat you know." He said, not pausing as he took his third and final bowl to replace the empty one.

Giving the boy a dirty look he normally reserved for an inattentive pupil, Iruka did so. "As members of clans like the Hyuuga and Inuzuka need to devote time to their family jutsu, it is Genin from non-shinobi families who usually the ones who take part in apprenticeship." What he didn't mention to the boy was that the Inuzuka had no need for sharp blades, seeing as their teeth sufficed and the Hyuuga were too proud to resort to making their own weapons. They prided themselves as warriors, not as blacksmiths.

"So that ends my tale, though I don't think that you cared, seeing that you were happily munching on your ramen than listen to me."

"Thank you, Sensei, I appreciate the information you have given me," Naruto gave a little bow, which was more formal than the situation called for, "Do you know where and how I can get a license for medicine?"

"Usually, you would have to get a master first, who would validate your skill." Iruka frowned, thinking hard, "You're a somewhat isolated case, but I'm certain that once you prove to them that you're worthy of the license, you'll get it for sure. The building for registration should be just around the Market square if I'm not mistaken."

Naruto shifted in his seat, being silent for a while before venturing his next question, "Would you be able to accompany me tomorrow?"

Iruka blinked, he didn't expect that. "Couldn't you just go by yourself?"

Naruto just shifted some more.

Iruka frowned. Why did he keep fidgeting...Oh.

It was then he remembered that the village still bore a grudge against the boy. Just like he had before. While Naruto might be able to brew all sorts of things, legal or not, prejudice will and has made things difficult for him to abide to strict laws. Even with his unbelievable ability to do things no child should be able to do, Iruka had to remember that Naruto was still, in essence, a child.

A strange one, but a child nonetheless.

"Oh, alright-" He stopped in mid sentence, now noticing that Naruto was no where in sight. All that was indicative of his presence were the three empty bowls of ramen and a few ryo bill notes for payment on the table, leaving Iruka wondering about the enigma that was Uzumaki Naruto.

( I I I )

"So he used **_that_** jutsu?" The Sandaime took a puff from his pipe, a billow of smoke emerging from his nostrils moments later, "I'm guessing that the situation was desperate enough for him to warrant such reckless use of force?"

"Yes, he could've handled it better, though the circumstances were a bit dire at the time," Kakashi nodded in agreement, "There were about ten B-ranked Mist shinobi were counted among the hostile forces, along a score of lower-level samurai thugs. If there were another team, we would've been able to handle them."

"So noted," the elderly man nodded, "How is his stability? No relapse or anything of that sort?"

"He still has fits during sleep; I had to administer twice the previous dosage I used the last time." Kakashi fidgeted before continuing, "Hokage-sama, I'm quite concerned about his odds as a shinobi. As a teacher, I strongly recommend that Uzumaki Naruto be stripped of his position as a Genin of Konoha and be allowed respite into civilian society."

"It seems that your team has grown on you, Kakashi." Sarutobi gave a smile, "You weren't this caring before," The smile didn't last however, and it reverted back into a thin line, "But as well intentioned as you might be, you forgot Uzumaki-kun's unique situation."

"It is either this life or a life back in the ANBU containment cells. He has no choice now, seeing that he has mastered most of the Scroll of Seals and shown evident proof that he knows how to use them. You know as well as I do that the Council, would do their very best to see the Fourth's legacy dead or worse. And that's not taking into consideration the ill will that the village still bears towards his person. Removal of his shinobi status would all but ensure his death."

It wasn't common to see his leader become hopeless, but here he was now, admitting political impotence. "I hope you understand, Kakashi. That boy needs this, as much for himself than anyone else in this village, no matter how much danger it puts him into."

"I understand, Hokage-sama."

The man who experienced the full brunt of a lifetime of war, deceit, and sacrifice, nodded tiredly, "Any else to add?"

"Other than that, it seems that he is...well...tense, to put it in a word. I do not know what triggered this."

"But I believe I do," The Third looked grim, "The Nidaime's jutsu has a peculiarity of changing some of its user's personality with erratic results, so be sure to be on the watch for the signs. We would not want another incident involving it. One war is heavy enough a price to pay for a mistake."

There was a brief silence before the Third moved on, "Is he adapting well in his team?" He asked and Kakashi knew the reason why. The level of interaction and was far more intimate than the ones he experienced in the Academy, and Naruto was not one who could work well with others.

"He had done surprisingly well," Kakashi answered earnestly, "Considering what I had read from his report."

"That is good." The Sandaime remained silent, before asking. "Kakashi, is your team ready for the Chuunin Exam?" The man knew that he didn't mean Naruto; his fate was intricately tied to the life of a shinobi, and through that all the tenets the title bears. He did not have a choice whether he was ready or not. But the others deserved it; they weren't marked for death by the village like Naruto was.

At this, Kakashi frowned, taking into account all the things his team had went through, and whether or not they would break at the coming storm.

His words, despite the weight it carried, were soft, "Yes, I believe they are."

( I I I )

It was nearly morning, the air still chilled by the night before, the world around her still painted by dark shades. Sakura did not know what possessed her to come to the empty training field at such an ungodly hour, but she did. Sleep had been brief for her, even as she was dead tired from the journey back from Wave. There was something itching in her, a power that wanted to be released and not chained. She couldn't sleep while feeling like she felt like a flower in full bloom, so she snuck out from her residence to the training field located as far as it could to be in east as opposite to her home which was in the western districts in Konoha. A certain Yamanaka Ino would have declared her insane for missing the required beauty sleep that a growing girl needed had she known what Sakura was doing during this time of the day.

She stood in the field, eyes closed, letting the wind caress as she switched on the dormant pathways in her brain. A slight jolt shook her, causing her to open her eyes.

The field had lost its shroud, the darkness having been bled dry to only leave a grey monochrome of faintly glowing light. Her headache was all but gone, leaving before only a burning clarity that had been distant before. She guessed that her momentary respite of sleep had gotten rid of the more immediate side effects of Kakashi's helpful meddling. Feeling the drain her sight provided, she performed the seals to stop it, feeling a considerably smaller jolt as she made a part of her mind dormant until needed.

She closed her eyes again. Hands moving through the first three seals for _Mind Craft_, she let her thoughts roam, imaging a field of flowers. The illusion projected out naturally, unlike her previous attempts where she had to will each and every illusion out from her mind and into reality.

Of the three aspects of Genjutsu, she had only mastered the first with effort. Sense and Feeling, or _Kansei_ and _Jousho _respectively, the other integral parts of Genjutsu required for a true user to master, she had not an opportunity to explore as her unconditioned mind tried to do what it could not. At best, her natural abilities allowed her to create illusions of sight and nothing more, and without the required drugs and mental conditioning, she would've been forced to leave it at that. But Kakashi made it possible for her to explore her potential. And for that she was thankful.

A hypocritical element of Genjutsu was that you had to believe that the illusion was real. How else would others fall to it if the caster didn't believe in its existence? That it was as real as the grass and the blade that was about to stab you in the gut? All three aspects of Genjutsu are equally important, for to convince oneself of reality, one must be experience reality. Surrealism only makes it harder to ensnarl another in the double-edged sword known as the mind for reality is grounded in truth, which is rapidly changing due to fallible human senses. That was what she had learnt from Kakashi. Only when one has combined all the elements of the mind can a technique be called a true reality from reality. But adding a sense to her illusions was a good start on her path to achieve her own reality from reality.

Now came the true test of incorporating another aspect into her illusion, the sense of touch and smell. Once again, she closed her eyes, her hands moving again, and her mind abandoning the sight of flowers for the sweet scent of flowers wafting to her nose by the gentle breeze and the feel of delicate flower petals on her finger tips. It was these thoughts of reality that she began to impress upon her illusion of flowers, associating image to the senses.

It was harder than making the illusion itself, for the feeling was a familiar but foreign one; one that she was trying to accustom herself with, but she managed expertly weaved her thoughts into the field of flowers.

Letting her concentration die but maintaining the illusion, she opened her eyes.

The sun rose as she did, illuminating a vast field of flowers that did not exist before. A gentle breeze brought the sweet scent of the various flora to her nose.

It was this sight that greeted Haruno Sakura as day began anew, as the night relinquished its hold on the earth until dusk came once more. Feeling tired but it was in a good way, she decided, she smiled and continued to enjoy the sunrise as it bathed her in its warmth.

( I I I )

The office of the Trade Guilds of Konoha was usually empty save for the occasional applicant for a trade license or the coming and goings of the staff for lunch. Normally, he would be back in his shop tending to his own business, but a friend had called in on a debt and since he _was_ familiar with the administrative procedures involved, he was stuck in the reception room till the end of the day. Nevermind that he had a lot to catch up on that shipment the Apothecary were hounding him for nor the fact that he had to pick up his supplies again. Some days just weren't good for people to call in favors. He sighed, and went back to his coffee.

A soft jiggle of bells announced that someone had just entered. He looked up; it was a boy, who scanned his desk, before his eyes finally landed on the license application forms. Taking a sheet and a pen from a pile strategically placed within a container, the boy shuffled towards the guest table provided and began filling it out.

A short while later, said boy turned in his application.

He stared hard at the boy in front of him. He was short for a runt his age, with flamboyant blonde hair in messy disarray. His eyes were wide as one would expect from a child, blue orbs that were clear as they were dull. Whisker marks adorned his cheeks like a jewel within a crown. Scrawny, but he couldn't tell with the loose clothing that was dyed in a horrible orange. What was surprising was the hitat-ate that denoted the one before him as a shinobi of Konoha, a Genin no doubt.

Was there anything more surprising than a short, blonde-haired brat wearing bright orange who didn't seem capable of subterfuge was apparently a ninja?

"So you're telling me on this paper that you want an apothecary license for...Class D tinctures and potions? Just how old are you, kid?"

On second thought, there was. It was the fact that the fore-mentioned ninja was applying for a license. If it had been an Iron Works apprenticeship-cum-license, it would've been normal to say the least. But it wasn't, he was applying for an **_Apothecary_** license, without the needed apprenticeship.

"Twelve years, sir, I'll be thirteen in two months."

"And your master in question?" Whoever was the master of the boy, he must have been desperate to have chosen a pubescent boy to help him brew medicine. It has to be either Nagi or Mousse, gods know how much they need the help. In hindsight, he needed the help too, but there just isn't anyone who's remotely interested in the craft. Or devoted enough. He vaguely remembered that there was this Hyuuga girl who had a good eye for herbs though.

"None, I learnt it all myself."

The surprise factor just keeps getter better.

"Right..." He muttered, "And pigs can fly too."

A small staring match ensued. He sighed, he might as well give the boy a chance to prove his claims against his better judgment.

Digging out a few herbs from his pocket, he placed them on the table, before wandering off to fetch a portable cauldron stand and some tinder and wood. While brewing wasn't allowed within the reception premises, he was sure that none of his colleagues would mind, seeing that the place was deserted devoid of any applicants for a license.

"Here," He pointed to the small hill of herbs on the table, "is a bunch of leaves and catalysts from several plants used in a certain Class D potion. If you can brew it and it is of a quality that is acceptable, then consider your license approved. Otherwise, scram. Fair?"

The blonde nodded and immediately set off to work, while he evaluated him. The brat moved with an ease that usually belonged to those of experience. The technique which he employed was a little conformed to the textbook example but it was a perfect example nonetheless. Points to the kid for methodical effectiveness.

Not long after, it was ready and he sauntered over to give his final say. The colour was what he had expected but it was darker than normal, a deep green than the normal light he anticipated. Taking a ladle, he brought a sample up to taste.

This was...

"This ain't what you supposed to make, kid." Surprise was becoming a common occurrence for him today.

The boy nodded to his somewhat disgruntled statement. "Yes, I thought that it would be a waste to brew the antidote for snake venom, when there were additional herbs that could be used to make the sense numbing potion."

He began to scratch his head in wonder. "Really? I thought that I only had enough regents for the antidote."

"So did I at first, but there was an extra clove of dark-leaf flower in there, so it was possible to convert it into the numbing potion." Said potion was one which the boy conveniently forgot was a classified as a Class C elixir, he thought, which certainly much more difficult to make despite similar prep time and ingredients. The boy was observant as well, a good trait everybody who was in his line of work should have.

No doubt about it, the boy certainly earned his license in his book alright!

It was then he noticed that the boy left his name blank on the sheet of paper. The field was small enough for him to ignore it.

"You forgot your name, kid."

The boy, oddly confident a minute ago, seemed to emit an air of uncertainty, "Uzumaki Naruto."

Emiya Kenji was not a man who bore grudges, and he was practical as his craft demanded it. However, the presence of the boy in front of him put that statement about him to the test. The fox-child, the one that everyone kept bad mouthing, was the one in front of him? He examined him once again, and was not impressed in the least. He had expected the infamous brat to be more...demonic. If anything at all, the boy in front of him, was what one could expect from a boy, well, one who was awfully formal and possessed a knack for his craft that Kenji was sure he wouldn't find anywhere else. He doubted that rampaging demons could make potions like it was nobodies business.

He knew that none of the other masters would take him in, because of the stigma and assumption that the boy was a 'demon'. It was such a criminal waste of talent.

In that instance, he made his choice. The boy seemed to be a bit on the unsociable side, but he could work with that.

"I'd tell you what," he said at last, "Seeing that you already know how to make everything that your license is going to entitle you and more, how about I cut you a deal, you interested?"

He took the slight nod of the boy's head as a yes.

"Be my apprentice, gods know how I need a skilled hand back at the shop. In return, I'll offer you some tips to improve your brewing method as you work, along with any extra ingredients that I have left-over from brewing my orders. You'll get your license you applied for, which is a given after your excellent performance just now, _and _an increase of its rank if you improve so you don't need to come and update it. Heck, I might even teach you a new recipe or two if you finish fast!" The man exhaled as he finished, looking at the boy before him again, "It's a fair deal, so what say you?"

The boy blinked at the whirlwind of words that the man just gushed. Naruto expected worse, but this was beyond what he had previously hoped for.

"I accept your offer then," he bowed deeply, before he froze in mid sentence, "...umm..."

"Oh right, I forgot to introduce myself," The man rubbed the side of his head sheepishly, "The name's Emiya Kenji," he grinned broadly, "I'll be looking forward to working with you, Uzumaki-kun."

( I I I )

Dusk began to settle, and the activity of the day started to die down. But even as the rest of the world slowed to a halt, he did not. From the start of dawn, he had been working; half that time spent pouring over a scroll that he obtained from that place beneath the tile.

Within the scroll there was extremely detailed information about his bloodline; information that showed him how to use and maximize the Sharingan. There were more things within it, but he had memorized everything of import the last time he read the scroll. So he had decided to spend his time productively.

While there was a certain delight in learning about the Sharingan, it paled in comparison to the sheer force of feeling as he forged and mixed metals into weapons. The thought of being indebted to Uzumaki Naruto, formerly thought to be one of the most useless of the Genin, for saving his life no less was an affront to his pride but he was not so conceited to think that he could have done anything better. The feeling had bottled up within him, fueling his efforts as he hammered relentlessly on glowing hot metal which slowly took shape.

Standing in his workshop, and sweating as he added the final touches to a newly completed kunai, he observed his work with a critical eye. Satisfied with his work, he removed the apron he wore and gathered up his works for binding later on. Today, he had made about two dozen or so of them, all having been subjected to harsh treatment to increase the hardness of the metal in general. It was not widely known but most blacksmiths forgone the process in light of the time needed to produce such hardness in their weapons. And it was only his apprenticeship to a grizzly old man who was distantly related to him, one who was not Uchiha, was Sasuke able to learn how to apply it to his own creations. He, like his master, was different because they used the power of the Flame instead of a forge to meld his metal. Though, he knew that he could summon up fires of higher temperatures than his master because of the blood of the Uchiha flowing within him.

At the present, he knew how to make a limited assortment of kunai and swords, though his former master had not imparted him the skill of tempering anything beyond the length of a kodachi. The thought made him annoyed and angry even, when the man refused to teach him anymore than what he knew now.

"_You do not create for the sake of creating. You create only for purpose alone. I've nothing left to teach to one such as you,"_ was what the old man had said back then, which was true of him.

His existence had a purpose after all. He could not afford to waste time on something that did not steer towards that purpose.

He did not live luxuriously, using the money from he attained from the clan to only get what he needed. Sasuke didn't want to live within the deserted Uchiha district, a place where memories held sway over him. And so, he purchased a modest apartment building for himself, fit with all the facilities he needed to become the avenger he needed to be to kill Itachi.

And when the time came, he decided he would rather deliver the finishing blow by an edge of his own making rather than steel crafted by others. The idea had a certain poetic justice that Sasuke liked.

Everything he did directed towards that day, nothing more.

Refreshing himself through a shower, and getting a fresh change of clothes along with a glass of chilled tea, Sasuke sat down on his chair upon the roof, watching as the sun descended to let the gentle night heal the land from its heat.

( I I I )

The next day arrived swiftly and Team seven found themselves in their usual spot by the training fields, waiting for their Jounin-sensei who was at the moment late as usual. They had all more or less accepted that Kakashi would never be early for once in his teaching days, so they resigned themselves with what they usually did to pass their time.

However, there were some notable differences to this routine. Instead of brooding like he does every other time, Sasuke was testing out a kunai against the hard bark of the nearby tree. Sakura was conjuring a flower in her hands on a whim, idly plucking out their petals before dispelling the illusion and starting afresh, a far cry from her attempts to chat up the Uchiha before. And instead of waiting patiently, Naruto had a small concealable book on hand, the title and its contents unknown to the rest of his team.

Whatever tension that existed on the return journey was gone, as if the day of relaxation had returned the status quo of the trio back to normal. It was during this period of calm and Kakashi finally decided to appear, in all his smoke-bomb glory.

"Yo," Kakashi greeted cheerfully, "What did I miss?"

Sakura looked up from her current creation, a pink-petal sakura, and rolled her eyes, "Not much."

"Oh, good." The man ignored the quip from his favorite female genin, and turned to regard his team. The Jounin remained silent and it wasn't long before, his team realized there was something decidedly off about the usually decisive man.

When he finally had three sets of eyes boring a hole into him, Kakashi gave them one of his infamous you-are-about-to-be-screwed-over expressions that involved the crinkling of his only visible eye and a Cheshire grin that was plain obvious under that face mask.

Sakura looked apprehensively at her teacher, while Sasuke and Naruto gave each other a wary glance. The last time their eccentric Jounin-sensei had that look, they had ended up doing a D-rank mission involving the clean up on the most disgusting and not to mention, smelly, river bank within the general vicinity of the village.

"So what's the mission today, Kakashi-sensei?"

If anything, the invisible grin widened further. "Well, we got assigned to look for Tora the cat again, remember him?" The body language on all three Genin relaxed. The retrieval of the Fire Lord's wife's understandably errant cat was far easier than what they had expected to get, not that it was much trouble to begin with. What they didn't notice however was that the silver-haired Jounin was not done yet. "Oh, and by the way, I thought that you three are ready for the Chuunin Exams," he said in his most nonchalant tone, "And guess what, you're in!"

At this piece of news, Sakura widened her eyes to saucers, Sasuke smirked and Naruto merely pondered.

'_Well, they took it better than I thought.' _Kakashi thought as he ushered them into activity, '_Too well, in fact.'_

* * *

A/N: Unbeta-ed, and hopefully free of any type of errors that I seem to find in the earlier chapters. Let me know if you find anything sticking out like a sore thumb and I'll do my best to rectify it. 

I wasted about half a thousand words on the rant when I should be expanding the chapter's content. Hoped you liked the Apprenticeship idea, and al the extra content between the exams. I also was hoping to include the rest of the rookie nine this time but seeing that I had difficulties in incorporating that with style, so I didn't to my dismay. The next chapter will be featuring the first test and the meeting of Team seven and all the other characters good and bad. From this chapter onwards, a lot of things will be divergent from the manga and anime so I hope I don't muck up too bad in terms of tasteful use of creativity.

A big nod of thanks to you understanding readers for patiently waiting while I finished up preparing for my 'O's. Hope you all enjoy this chapter as much as I did writing it!


	12. Chapter 12

"Blah" denotes speech.

_Blah! _denotes sound.

'_Blah'_ denotes thoughts.

'**BLAH**' denotes Demon talking.

* * *

It was quiet, she thought, as afternoon shifted to evening. The protracted rays of the sun turned orange as they shone past the woods, splitting into many narrow beams as the trees blocked their path.

It was all very relaxing, she realized.

Hinata looked on from her veranda in the room, trying to look past the protective woods that blocked off her home from the rest of the village. The Hyuuga compound itself was surrounded by a miniature forest of trees within the confines of the village wall, concealing the impressive mix of training grounds and twilight gardens that have been the staple of Hyuuga tradition for three generations. While she often ventured out to the silent gardens in times of doubt, she felt that it wouldn't be of much help to her this time.

In a week's time, she would be taking the most important step in her entire life, or rather the most important step for any Genin. In the past, the only way for aspiring shinobi to advance in their standing was through the survival of the inter-nation meat-grinder wars and the numerous conflicts that erupted like ulcers on the continent. She was no history buff, but she had listened to Iruka-sensei when he lectured on about the historical aspect of their profession, something which the others dutifully ignored in the face of the sheer boredom of the past. How she wished that she could afford the same careless ease they exhibited. But as they always say, life wasn't fair.

If it was anything to go by, she would not face the same trials and tribulations that earlier shinobi had faced. For that, Hinata was thankful. Though it had been that way in the past, Hinata knew that while the method of advancement had changed, the same stringency would be retained so as to weed out the weak, inadequate and the undeserving.

She hugged herself unconsciously, trying to suppress the chill that sparked through her spine.

As much as she appreciated Kurenai-sensei's confidence in them, the wrenching anguish of not living up to expectations was a pain not unfamiliar to her. She did not want to disappoint Kiba or Shino, and much less her sensei. While others may claim that her blood has at least presented her an advantage, she knew within herself that was not true. The mastery of the Gentle Fist, the art of her family and clan since its creation, remained ever elusive to her. What others learned and perfected in six months took her a year to barely use. No matter how much time and effort she put into it, she just couldn't drill the rigid stances and immaculate timing of her strikes into one concise movement, like many of her family had done before.

Despite her shortcomings, her team had been lenient with her, and she had gained their encouragement (not scorn or disappointment to her immense surprise), their words strengthening the dying resolve to burn brighter than before.

No matter her optimism, the truth was painfully obvious to herself.

Even if she trained to improve, the time that was left to her was simply too little for her to change herself into a better fighter. From her point of view, she was not ready, and an additional week of training was not going to change that.

Apprehensively, Hyuuga Hinata looked on as the setting sun marked the end of another day, one day closer to the most important day of her life. She just hoped that whatever she had learned up to then would prepare her for the coming trials ahead.

* * *

"_Once, in time long past, before the Shinobi Countries, predating the Great Empire, there were nine of them. Each of them an envoy of the God and Goddess Inari, their forms imbued with the number of tails that denoted their rank, from the Ichibi to the Kyuubi. Their purpose on this earth was a simple one, their purpose was to maintain balance between life and death, creation and destruction, light and dark for all creatures living beneath the sun's gaze and night's cover. Each one was worshipped because of this, and their followers gained the patronage and blessing of these celestial beings, ensuring that the land and all that lived on it were in harmony. _

_Out of the nine, the ninth and most powerful of all, the Kyuubi, was the least known but was the most feared as well. It, for it was not known whether it was male or female, was in charge of dispensing destruction for an equal amount of creation, which was mediated accordingly by the careful guidance of Inari. In times of destruction, it was said that it would wear the guise of a girl with amber eyes, and appear before its followers, giving them life where there had been none before. The same could be said when there was an over-abundance of life and it too was there to set things right. For a time, all was right under heaven. But when the gods left this world for another, the others bereft of guidance, wallowed too much in their created purpose, bringing about the end to the balanced utopia that existed till then. _

_And so thus, consequence arisen, patron deities turned into things not of benevolence, the creatures now known as the Bijuu were born. And thus began the scouring of the earth..."_ –Unnamed book, thought to be the oldest mention of civilization before the Great Samurai Empire.

( I I I )

The Savant

Written by legacyZero

( I I I )

He watched as the boy worked. There was no question as to who was faster, the master or the apprentice. Thus, not wanting to miss the opportunity to observe his newest apprentice, Kenji took stock of how the boy performed his duties with immense precision. Through the first week that the boy had come under his tutelage, he noticed that the boy did not smile, nor talk unless directly spoken to and even then, his manner was too formal. Kenji did not mind the silence but it was a work ethic he expected of masters like himself or older shinobi.

He had taught others before, yes, but none were so quiet like the one before him. It, frankly speaking, unnerved him. One would picture a child to be loud, unruly and most of all, energetic.

Uzumaki Naruto had all the traits opposite to that. He was reserved, controlled and passive to the point that he suspected that even if there were to be an earthquake, the boy would remain unruffled in the midst of it. The best words that he could use to describe him were that he was a doll made into flesh. But in terms of his profession, Naruto, or Uzumaki-kun as he preferred, was a genius. If one could discount the somewhat regular intervals at which he would accidentally drop a vial or two.

Sure, he was not a natural genius, the kind which usually invented new recipes through experimentation and logic, but his capacity for remembering and executing each and every recipe to the letter left him in no small amount of awe, and to a smaller extent, intimidation and envy.

One such example occurred when he received a massive order from the shinobi administration for various potions and mixtures to prepare for the upcoming Chuunin Examinations. While he could prepare them all with enough time to spare, he had other regular clients to consider so he had instructed the boy to read up on a few elixirs that he was sure he did not learn.

He had given him two days at best to memorize them, five if the material proved too daunting for the Genin.

Uzumaki Naruto did it in a single day.

His expectations of the boy only grew when he mastered an entire tier of upper scaled elixirs, producing each and every one to written perfection by the end of the week.

As much as he was amazed by his apprentice's skill, he was intimidated and excited at the boy's potential at the same time. So much within such a young mind that is was frightening. And even then, Uzumaki Naruto wasn't pursuing his profession as he did, only as an appetizer to the main dish. While he was not so conceited as to believe that he would be the one to bring forth the boy's potential, Kenji had enough sense to see that his role had some impact on his development as a whole.

The steady improvement of Naruto's brewing repertoire was proof enough.

If that was only the tip of the iceberg, what else could the boy achieve, if given the proper time and attention? He couldn't wait to find out.

( I I I )

Often in recent days, he found himself wondering about what his team and errant sensei did in their free time. Going down by logic, he knew that they either spent time training or socializing, in Sakura's case. Sasuke didn't seem like the type to spent time frivolously but he was unsure of whether the other boy took an apprenticeship himself. Kakashi-sensei, however, was a complete enigma to him in term of time-management. The Jounin seemed to have already perfected his skills as a shinobi, and despite doubts, Naruto didn't really believe that he spent all his _time_ reading that little orange and red book of his.

Being unable to solve such a hypothesis based on opinion, his line of thought naturally reverted back to the relative subject of discussion that spawned his question. Time, as he found out, went quickly when one was occupied.

As harsh a taskmaster he was, his mentor was competent and Naruto was pleasantly surprised by the amount of knowledge he had acquired during the first week of his apprenticeship. Of course, he attained a few reagents that he was short and a license, but that paled in comparison to the new potions he could now make.

At the moment, he was making the said new potions.

The shop where Emiya Kenji had set up his business was a humble one, a three story building that housed the store and brewing room on the first and second floor respectively. The store itself wasn't so much a store as it was a reception area where one could only browse a small catalog of simple remedies for civilian use, along with a filled cabinet of said remedies for ease of sale. The more advanced repertoire however was either limited to shinobi clients or impractical to make without an end user available, or both. Needless to say, most of the clientele were of the ninja persuasion. The brewery was organized and yet chaotic enough for others to claim otherwise; notes upon notes covered the walls in a comical attempt at neatness while the actual apparatuses and ingredients were well kept in easy to find places. His home was on the third level, though Naruto never ventured past the stairs to that particular floor, out of respect and the privacy of his teacher in the alchemical arts.

"All right," Kenji said as he watched the last of the precipitate disappear, "That should be all for today. I'll bottle them up later once they cool. The usual time tomorrow?" Due to the unexpected day off they received from their Jounin-sensei, Naruto decided to partially fulfill his obligations to the man by helping him out in his work burden

Nodding as his answer, Naruto mumbled a goodbye before turning to the stairs.

"Wait," he said just before Naruto took a step further, "You're taking the Chuunin exam right?"

He nodded slightly, waiting patiently for the man to continue.

Kenji looked slightly unsure of himself; something that Naruto noticed was happening often so very recently, "There should be some new recipes that could be useful to you if you're interested..." Rummaging through his pockets, the man produced a series of crumpled notes, containing fine scribbles that made it difficult for anyone not the author of such to glean anything from them. There were exceptions, of course.

"Thank you, Emiya-san." He said in reply to the man's offer, depositing the paper into the pockets in his orange jacket. With that, he left the shop, his body directing itself straight towards Ichikaru's. It had been some time since he patronized the ramen stall, though it was a decision not of his own will. Run ragged from the physically exhausting training regime devised by Kakashi, he often found himself too tired to indulge in his beloved boiled noodles.

As he made his way towards, a familiar voice echoed its way through the street. "Hey! Let go of me!" Feeling curious, he quickened his pace towards the source of the disturbance, ramen forgotten momentarily.

A rough and gruff voice answered in reply to the high pitch whine, "That hurt, you brat. I'll make sure you watch where you're going permanently."

He found himself watching as a large boy, dressed in conspicuous black, face painted with white and purple stripes, held up the grandson of the Third by the edge of his shirt. Along the sidelines, stood two obvious friends of Konohamaru, a girl and another boy whom he did not know. They watched helplessly at the scene unfolding before them, unable to retrieve their still struggling friend from the menacing and older nin's grasp. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed another onlooker in the form of a girl with what seemed to be a slab of iron strapped vertically to her back. Standing in close proximity to the foreign nin, coupled with the rather tanned complexion that could not be achieved within the Fire Country, Naruto assumed that she was also a foreigner.

Konohamaru, upon seeing potential help in the form of the blonde, broke out in a frantic plea for aid.

"Naruto-niisan!"

Taking his time to appraise the situation, he noticed the emblem of the Sand upon the other's hitat-ate. "Let him go, _suna-nin_," His voice was calm, considering the potential for violence to erupt at the moment, "No matter what he has done to you, I'm sure it does not warrant such drastic measures. To attack a member of a Hidden Village is to attack the _entire_ village. I believe you do not wish to find trouble so soon after arriving here." Several clones of himself flickered into sight, armed with kunai, all of them occupying strategic locations around the sand-nin, "Or am I mistaken?"

This time the boy openly sneered, letting go of the shaken Konohamaru to focus on the blonde, releasing a respectable aura of menace as he did, "I believe you're, leaf-genin. And by the way, your pitiful _bunshin_ doesn't scare me." Hand reaching to his back where a rather bulky object was strapped, the other ninja seemed intent in his aggression.

Naruto made no reaction to the jibe. Seeing that all routes of _civil_ diplomacy have failed, he immediately eased in into the next logical course of action, a favorable outcome determined by force of arms. Shifting his pose slightly to hide the amount of tension he was putting into his muscles to react on a moment's notice, Naruto patiently waited for the Sand-nin to make his move. As he predicted, the other boy quickly strained his muscles in turn, preparing for a blitz.

Just as the Sand-nin rushed towards him, something or rather someone intervened. A small gust of sand swept past, thickening and coalescing into the shape of a person.

"Kankuro, **stop it**." A cold, dispassionate voice spoke from the back of the hostile shinobi, the voice utterly foreign to him, but obviously not so to the other boy.

The black-clad boy stopped, twisting his body so quickly to regard the source of the voice, barely containing a shudder. It was a note worthy making that he utterly turned his back towards a potential enemy, just to avoid the ire of this mysterious new individual.

"O-of course, Gaara."

Looking at the new arrival, the first time he saw were blood-shot eyes greeted him. The boy, Gaara as the other had called him, wore a quasi-robe of dull earthen colors and black pants over his somewhat frail frame, but this was just a ruse to put a target, prey at ease. A small mope of reddish brown hair topped his head, not quite reaching his dark bag-laden eyes of jagged sapphire. The most prominent feature that he noticed was the tattooed kanji for Love on the left side of his forehead, just above his eye. Like Kankuro before him, he too had something attached to his back, a large gourd, but carrying _what_? It only took him a second for him to process these thoughts, and that was when he felt _it_ again.

Naruto felt his breathing increase, his pulse quicken and his eyes narrowing to dangerous pinpricks as he continued to look upon this seemingly normal boy.

"_**KILL HIM**_!" The voice, Kyuubi, who for so long remained silent but for brief murmurs, suddenly shrieked, "_**KILL HIM, REND HIS FLESH FROM THIS EARTH, SCATTER THEM TO THE FOUR WINDS**_-"

The Voice, by itself would not have affected him so much, no matter the sudden and unexplainable feeling in his chest that wanted to bring ruin and destruction to all, especially to _that_ boy. But that was not the only voice he heard, deep within his mind. Another voice, so deathly silent and yet ever present chose to reveal itself after so long of hibernation, whispered litanies of destruction, anger and utter malice to him, each promise and sentence making him lose a bit of his will to resist this unnatural feeling building within him.

Oh how he wanted to rip and tear asunder this affront to his existence!

And he could tell that the other boy was feeling the same as well.

Struggling to rein in his thoughts and the voices, Naruto unconsciously turned towards Konohamaru and his friends before he froze. The looks on their faces told him more than words could ever have. Fear, pure undulated fear radiated from them as they watched him with wide eyes. It was this fear, and horror that finally gave him strength necessary to seal shut and completely _ignore_ the part of him that processed the raging primal urges he felt into action. Despite his brief respite, one word was prominent in his mind placed there by powers he could not ever hope to fathom.

_Jinchuuriki_.

Feeling the calm return to him, even if it was only a mockery of a veneer, he looked at Gaara. The other boy also seemed to have brought himself under control.

"You, what is your name?" The short boy asked in the same apathetic voice he used before, but this time, he could detect something else in there. Anticipation or...even excitement?

"Uzumaki Naruto," he replied with the same amount of professional disinterest, "Gaara-san I presume?"

The boy nodded in return, not caring about the looks of anxiety his companions were giving him, "Uzumaki Naruto..." Gaara murmured, as if testing the name on his lips. Then in an unexpected move, Gaara turned his back towards the blonde.

"I'll be looking forward to meeting you again, Uzumaki." This time, Naruto could practically feel the glee in the odd boy's words. It confused him, in perfect honesty.

"Kankuro, Temari, let's go." His order made the two up till now, deathly silent Sand-nin jerk in response before all three of them disappeared in a blur.

Steadily, he inhaled deeply before turning to the trio of students too young to be called ninja. They now didn't display the same looks that they wore just moments prior but he could easily tell from the slight shudder of their small frames that they haven't quite recovered from the experience just yet.

They were afraid, something that he knew was bad, a feeling that he couldn't sympathize till that moment.

If anything, a hot bowl of ramen would make it better, which was what he felt. Everyone loved ramen, for there was no way they could not love such a wonderful dish.

"Would you all like to eat some ramen?" His offer was accepted by the trio, who promptly improved in both spirit and exuberance once they began consuming the tasty food and subsequently forgetting about the encounter entirely. Of course, they also managed to swindle themselves free meal at Konohamaru's insistence.

Oddly enough, Naruto didn't mind the lightening of his pocket anymore than usual.

( I I I )

Watching the proceedings with no small amount of apprehension, Temari remained rooted to ground. Flesh and blood, Gaara may be but such things did not deter him if he ever feels so inclined to end her life. As much as she tried to get closer to her youngest brother, her efforts were brutally stomped by the simple fact that he was psychopathic and that everything he did was to kill, kill and kill. That and watching as Gaara broke Kankuro's arm just because he offered some candy to him. He never ventured near Gaara without a reason again.

Sometimes, love can't win over everything. Especially against a brother who, for all intents and purposes, was a remorseless killing engine of death.

Her fear of Gaara was something that she thought nothing else could top.

She was wrong however, when she saw the blonde literally bristle at the sight of Gaara, emitting a presence not unlike Gaara when he was in one of his moods.

This boy, blonde, short, and just moments ago, oh so very inconsequential boy, scared the crap out of her. He scared her most as much as Gaara did. Not that she would admit to anyone. Gaara, her brother in blood and flesh but nothing else, let off what she and Kankuro commonly called his 'Blood Lust' vibe.

In an instance, she felt his eyes on her, feeling the weight of an eternity press onto her, almost suffocating the very life from her with it. His eyes, dead cold orbs that reflected things that she was better off knowing, competed with Gaara's to instill fear into her being.

Her palms were now very much certified, _sweaty_. She had no intention of being in the general vicinity of Gaara when he finally snapped and killed everything within a three mile radius.

Then she heard Gaara do the one thing she least expected of him.

"You, what is your name?"

He asked the other monster in human flesh for its name.

Instead of regressing into a blood-lusting monster like she thought and feared he would, Gaara had already schooled his features his icy mask of indifference. But it was only for show she knew. She knew that it was a sham since she just saw the bloodlust in his eyes, that ever-hidden glee which glints to the surface of his eye just to mark his next prey.

The other monster of a boy, having seemingly regained control of himself and that sickening aura of sheer death around him, looked at Gaara with something that resembled puzzlement.

"Uzumaki Naruto," The boy answered in a tone not unlike Gaara in his more subdued and civil moments, "Gaara-san, I presume?"

The rest of the conversation was lost on her and soon, she found herself acquiescing to Gaara's command to leave. One thought remained on her mind though. Uzumaki Naruto, it would be a name that she would well take care to remember. He was a monster hidden in mortal flesh, just like Gaara.

( I I I )

In the busy afternoon streets of the Hidden Village of Leaves, four individuals sat within a small refreshment bar, shaded from heat and in amicable company. Three of them wore the customary olive-green vest of a Jounin. Two of them were lax, shoulders slumping as light alcohol was introduced to their systems, posture identical in everyway except for the obvious difference in physical features. The third was a rather lively, if not eccentric example of what a shinobi could become, if pushed to the extreme under the 'right' and _downright_ weird circumstances. Sporting an outlandish bowl cut, a disturbingly green spandex suit and eyebrows too thick to be considered natural, many people, shinobi and civilian alike, felt a great pressing need to turn tail and _run_ at the sight of this kami-forsaken suit-wearing Jounin. The fourth person however, unlike the others around was a rather elegant woman at the peak of youth, dressed in a odd assemble of cloth that resembled tight bandages, with ebony curls framing an angelic face, her eyes a captivating crimson that won her numerous suitors from civilian, shinobi and nobility.

Thus came the million ryo question.

So what did Yuuhi Kurenai have in common with three rather senior examples of the shinobi stereotype?

It was quite simple actually.

Invited to this small gathering, Kurenai was someone who was a relatively new addition to what was commonly known around the upper shinobi circles as the 'Jounin-sensei Club'. Successfully earning her rank a few months before her future Genin team graduated from the Academy, she had opted to teach the new generation of shinobi rather than continue on with regular missions like so many of her fellow Jounin usually did upon promotion to the vaulted position of Jounin.

That had been months ago and her team had gone far from the inexperienced fresh-faced graduates she saw at first. Despite appearances, they were ready for the Chuunin Exams, and all that it entailed. She was proud of them, the team for which she done everything in her power to prepare for the difficulties that would arise in their future as shinobi. _Her_ team.

While that side of her was not well-known in the shinobi social circle, there were, however, three things that everyone knew Kurenai _absolutely_ could not stand, those being perverts, tardiness, and anyone who doubted her abilities just because of her age or gender.

Unfortunately, for her, all three of these qualities were within immediate proximity of her. While Gai and Asuma were polite and, more or less, tolerable company who on more than one occasion, mixed idle chatter with more serious agendas, they also respected her enough on the basis that she passed the trials for the Jounin rank and gave her the benefit of doubt.

"You entered your team as well, Kurenai-san?" Hatake Kakashi asked with the metaphorical tact of a sledge hammer. His words had a certain tone that insinuated many things, things that she took offense to.

She turned to look at the silver-haired man who was sitting directly opposite of her. With the possible exception of herself, all the Jounin which had or currently have control of a team had considerable mission records. Chief among these, was the ever present and yet distant, Hatake Kakashi. She had heard of the legendary copy-nin, and was somewhat in awe of him. His track record was impressive; over two hundred A-ranks, no less than four hundred B-ranks and a somewhat dainty collection of S, C and D-ranks. He was the protégé of the Fourth, an unofficial advisory to the Third and if rumors were true, once the captain-in-chief of the Leaf special detachment unit, otherwise known as the ANBU.

But on a personal level, as she soon discovered, she found the man slightly...irksome.

"Yes," Kurenai found herself saying, her tone possessing more than just a tinge of promised feminine wrath, "Are you suggesting that I shouldn't?"

"I mean no disrespect to you, Kurenai-san," The other Jounin replied quickly, raising his hands quickly as if to ward off his impending doom, "But most would usually wait for the next year before entering their teams. You know, waiting till they got better. Gai here did the same and look at his team, I bet you an entire barrel of sake that they have a better chance at passing it unscathed than the rest of the Genin this year."

If anything, the eccentric green-clad Jounin just laughed, somewhat happy that his eternal rival complimented him, smiling that megawatt smile of his that revealed his awfully shiny teeth, "Hah, that is right, my worthy rival!" Gai exclaimed, "That one year of training was truly worth it, for my adorable students have made great leaps in their Spring Time of Youth!" Tears of joy were now streaking from his eyes, and _sparkles_, of all things, began to glimmer around him in an exaggerated fashion.

Kurenai merely raised her eyebrow at the sight but otherwise ignored the Taijutsu master in his moment.

"I'm surprised that you could even say that, Kakashi-san, seeing that you entered your own team as well." She answered with annoyance at his contradicting words, "Shouldn't you be, to quote your verbatim, 'waiting till they got better'?"

"Hmm..." The silver-haired Jounin considered her words for a moment, "Nope."

She narrowed her eyes at him, "And why not?"

His response was immediate, and Kakashi found himself shrugging, "Well, I figured that they're already ready for it."

This time, he didn't miss the frigid quality her tone had taken, "And mine aren't?"

Like all those who came before him, Kakashi realized in that moment, how deep in crap he was because of his mouth, "I didn't say that."

"Asuma-san is entering his team as well, and I don't see you subtly suggesting that his decision was wrong," The female Jounin continued, obviously incensed at the silver-haired man, "Seeing that he has the lowest mission count for his team...no offence, Asuma-san."

"Hey, I'm here, you know," Asuma sulked glumly, quite put out by the statement, "The Ino-Shika-Chou formation I've been working on isn't easy, even if they were supposed to _click_ instantly. You can't blame me for that just because I focused more on teamwork than on missions."

Gai patted the depressed man on the back, "Now, now, teamwork is most essential in your student's ability to maximize their Spring Time of Youth!"

Ignoring the outburst from Gai, both Jounin stared at each other in the eye, furious crimson clawing desperately at lazy onyx, both refusing to give ground to each other.

Kakashi broke the silence, "Actually, I think you coddle them too much."

"A view that you cannot substantiate with proof," Kurenai replied hotly, "I didn't try to protect them from what they already could handle."

The man crinkled his eye into a U-shaped 'smile', an action that Kurenai was starting to hate, "I think its proof enough if you get this defensive."

"_Ahem_."

They both looked at Gai, who looked like he wanted to say something but stopped when he saw the pure look of displeasure across Kurenai's normally pretty features. Kakashi had a look of unabashed glee as Gai withered under the woman's effective ire.

'_25th Rule of the Hatake Nindo: Don't distract angry females from the target of their ire.'_, thought Kakashi rather happily.

For that moment only, Kakashi kept the score of their rather trivial rivalry, Kakashi 1, Gai 0.

Seeing that the green-clad man had suffered enough, Kakashi spoke, making Kurenai turn her attention on him, "It seems that we've an unfortunate impasse on our hands, so I propose this...let's make a bet," Kakashi lazed back into his seat, "The team who manages to get the most members to the third round of the exams wins. Of course, it isn't much of a bet if it only ended there. If I win, I would like a favor which will be revealed at alater date, from you."

Kurenai made a face, before narrowing her eyes dangerously at the man. "If it's going to be a perverted request, I'm so going to subject you to mental horrors that even _Ibiki_ would turn green."

Her threat this time made Kakashi visibly shudder. Sure, Sakura was bad enough when properly _motivated_ but practically asking a Genjutsu Mistress for a mind-trash was too much, even for him. "Of course not, Kurenai-san, I had nothing of that sort in mind."

"You better," The female Jounin calmed down significantly, "So what do I get if _I_ win?"

Having been offered a chance of not being briefed on what mental tortures would Ibiki be envious of, Kakashi quickly took it. "A whole week of the best sushi in the village for dinner, my dear. If you win, of course."

Kurenai suddenly looked very interested, and the eagerness to prove the other man wrong was plainly written in the sudden gleam in her eyes, "You're on." And if she got sushi out of it as well, it was an added bonus.

"I'd like to stay a bit longer but I remembered that I've prior engagements with my team." Rising from her seat, Kurenai bid the three Jounin farewell, leaving the men stumped at her behavior moments before.

Watching as the pretty kunoichi sashayed out of the building, Asuma merely sighed as Gai visibly deflated with relief. "Now, why did you have to go and do that?"

Kakashi merely crinkled an eye in response, trying his best to look innocent, "Do what?"

( I I I )

Several days later, the day of the exams had arrived, and the Genin from all corners of the continent converged onto a single location. It was only one place out of the many of its kind, but it was universally known as the starting point of any modern day shinobi, the Academy. It was here where the first phase of the Chuunin Exam would begin, for better or worse. Some Genin of the Leaf felt mildly amused to be able to walk within its halls again, but only this time they had overcome the line that separated the rest of the students from being shinobi and were on the path to become worthy of that title. Others from the various villages were wary and cautious, the worn walls and rather spacious corridors making them less than friendly.

Sasuke, at the moment, wasn't happy in the least. Of all the things he thought the examiners would be doing, this _certainly_ wasn't it.

They were holding a low-level Genjutsu that even he, much less Sakura, had detected the second they reached it's influence over the second floor to make it look as it were the third where they were supposed to gather. The most laughable irony however was that most Genin, the ones that looked far from weak, fell for it.

This was going to be a waste of time, he just knew it. The tanto he made just for the occasion too was going to waste if this was the best the shinobi powers could offer.

He watched as a girl, her hair wrapped into two buns, got hit by one of the examiners as she tried to persuade them for passage, joining a green-clad boy on the floor as well.

"Do you actually think that you can pass the Chuunin Exam? Please, we're doing you a favor by not letting you experience disappointment when you fail." One of the henge-ed Chuunin drawled.

Having tired from the display of mass stupidly, Sasuke growled, "What the hell are you all doing, trying to enter the _second_ floor?"

"The room is on another floor, one level higher to be precise," he nodded to Sakura, who then began the dispelling process, "This is a fake," The sign shimmered as the Genjutsu died, revealing the true number beneath.

Murmurs erupted as the rest of the Genin, foreign and local alike, looked at the Uchiha in awe.

"Heh," The still-henge-ed Chuunin, the one with a pair of large kunai strapped to his back, snorted, "Not bad...but all you did was notice!" In a move that forced Sasuke to use all his strength and reflex to react, the Chuunin swung his leg at the Uchiha, in which he replied to in turn.

Just as it was about to reach its target, it was halted in its path, his foot was firmly grasped by a bandaged hand. From the looks of the Chuunin's face, Sasuke knew that his leg was caught too.

He looked towards the culprit, the same green-clad boy sporting a bowl cut who was, just moments ago, on the floor supposedly injured. Now, none of the vulnerabilities he observed in the boy before were present, it was as if it had been an _illusion_.

Sasuke smiled a savage grin. Looks like there were some Genin worth fighting after all.

( I I I )

Genius and dropout.

These two words ruled his life, his very being and the very foundation that was his _nindo_.

Rock Lee was someone who defied impossibility, spat on its corpse and walked away without causality coming after him for bloody vengeance. He was physically anathema to the meaning of becoming a _shinobi_, and yet here he was, one of them. Unable to channel the very energy needed to perform the most basic of ninja techniques, the very possibility of succeeding as a shinobi was low . The mind arts too were denied from him, for the very same reason he was unable to channel chakra beyond what was already being used to keep him breathing.

Being downright incompatible with two thirds of the skills that defined a ninja, he was left with only one thing he could do in order to become a ninja.

The way of the body, physical strength, Taijutsu, it was called many things but its meaning was universally the same.

Unfortunately, he did not have any fancy bloodline or clan which could aid him in excelling at it. Even after the grueling sessions of physical training, he was only 'average' in Taijutsu when he was first graded by his teachers, who then had advised him to _give up_ being a shinobi. Despite this, he continued on, pushing his body to the limit in his pursuit of physical excellence. But even his belief started to crack when he questioned himself on his training and progress.

It was then he met Maito Gai, and almost instantly his doubt vanished, his life changed dramatically since that day.

Now, he wanted to show to the world that one could achieve the same things as one who was a genius with just hard work. That was his dream, to become an excellent shinobi through sheer hard work. And if he wanted to do that, he'd have to surpass the limits of genius with tenacity alone. However, despite his best efforts, he could not defeat the resident genius within his team with what he had. It was a disheartening thought for others to have a setback, but to him, it fueled his determination to get better even more. As such, he needed to find and fight other geniuses.

Hence, enter Uchiha Sasuke.

Uchiha Sasuke was in everyway the same as his teammate Neji. He was a genius, with the power of a bloodline flowing in his veins. Also, if he managed to defeat him, then maybe, just maybe...Haruno Sakura would look at him.

It was all these factors that caused him to ask for a fight between the Uchiha and himself. Setting the open space of the hall as their chosen field for combat, he faced the Uchiha, giving a brief glance at his other teammates. Sakura was, as he expected, brimming with nervous energy that suited her saccharine pink hair. The other boy, whose name he did not catch, merely observed them without so much a worry.

Regardless, it mattered not to him now, perhaps in the future but for now, he immersed himself into the present. When they were both ready, Lee closed the distance and sent a punch at the other boy, who struggled with the strength behind it; the result of punching trees for hours on end every single day.

A kick later sent the raven-haired boy flying halfway across the room; the aftermath of his severe and brutal regime of exercise. Watching as the genius get back up from the floor, he fixed his feet into his all time favorite stance; feet bound together, left hand behind the back and the right stretched out palms inward in mocking gesture. The trick worked as it always did and the Uchiha rushed forward blindly, clutching his tanto tightly in a desperate gamble to break through.

This fight meant nothing to him, the exam meant nothing to him, and everything was but a small step towards his dream. All Lee wanted to do was show that even a dropout could become a genius of hard work.

And just as he proceeded to open the first gate and initiate the Lotus, Lee found himself flying by a punch delivered sub-sonic to his left cheek.

A punch that vaguely reminded him of Gai-sensei, he thought just as he blacked out.

( I I I )

After the fight and meeting of the eccentric Rock Lee and his even more eccentric sensei, Maito Gai, Team 7 made their way to classroom 3-01. Sasuke was brooding about his loss to Rock Lee, who for all intents and purposes, was technically inferior to the Uchiha. Sakura, despite being outright disturbed by the forward advances of the Taijutsu practitioner, kept her collective calm as she helped the Uchiha up. Surprisingly, he did not refuse her help. But then again, after forcing him to comply with her because he wouldn't _listen_ to the help he _asked_ for, Sasuke gave Sakura a small amount of grudging respect. It wasn't much but it was enough to stop him from viewing the sole female member of his team as a complete liability.

Within the makeshift waiting room were Genin who hailed and come from all over the continent. Each and everyone, as far as Naruto could see, were itching and shaking with nervous energy that was often associated with 'unintentional' loss of control.

Feeling uneasy with the amount of humanity stuffed into one room, he felt himself relax as he went through his usual routines, ignoring everything else to process information. He scanned the room, identifying and classifying the loosely bunched Leaf Genin into the various 3-man cells that were used in the present as well as in the past. Even if his knowledge of other villages were limited, he could use the team composition to determine the strength and weakness of teams from the Leaf.

His eyes came across a closely knit group consisting of a boy wearing shades, with an oversized jacket covering the base of his face and his mouth, a lavender-eyed girl who nervously kept looking around, and an arrogant and feral looking boy who wore a fur-lined jacket complete with a small snow white puppy taking seat upon the unkempt mess of hair on his head.

'_Team 8, Aburame Shino, Hyuuga Hinata and Inuzaku Kiba._ _A Reconnaissance oriented team, seeing that the inclusion of all the bloodlines are highly useful to tracking and detection. Combat capacity valued at fifty-five percent under ideal conditions and parameters. ' _

Shifting his gaze to settle upon the rather familiar green-clad Rock Lee, the familiar lavender eyes of another Hyuuga, one who looked far more smug than he was allowed to, and the same bun-haired girl, Tenten, who tried to get pass the two faux Genin.

'_Team 9, Hyuuga Neji, Rock Lee and Tenten._ _Escort oriented team, two confirmed users of Taijutsu; one heavily versed in Tekken-Ho style while the other is a member of the Hyuuga Clan. Third member seems to of a supporting role which consists of providing long range, weapon cover. Combat capacity is maximized under ideal conditions. Caution is advised. Do not engage within melee range.' _

Moving on, he took note of the Ino-Shika-Chou group. Shikamaru and Chouji he knew well enough, though Ino was practically a stranger to him.

'_Team 10, Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouji, Yamanaka Ino. Infiltration oriented team, confirmed presence of compatible bloodline users. Presence of Genin-level Heavy Assault Specialist confirmed. Shadow and Mind Walker confirmed. Combat capacity is rated at forty-five percent under ideal conditions; however base tactical efficiency is unknown.' _

With his analysis complete, Naruto decided to blend into the background as Team 10 came over. Upon seeing each other, Sakura and Yamanaka Ino decided to relight their feud over the impassive Uchiha at the moment.

It was not too long before a grey-haired Genin approached the group. Introducing himself as Yakushi Kabuto, a veteran of seven or so exams, the older boy went on to share his collection of various ninja data for the past four years. Drawn by the presence of the older Leaf Genin, the teams Naruto previously noted were now surrounding him in a loose circle as they listened to his advice on the Chuunin Exam.

"My nin-info cards are not complete but I'll do my best to provide you with info. Just give me a name, if any." The bespectacled boy said helpfully as he shuffled his cards.

"Rock Lee." Sasuke said without thought. Kabuto promptly fished out a blank card on which information about the Taijutsu practitioner appeared. Sasuke seemed to memorize the data on the card, as Kabuto gave a quite detailed explanation of the bowl-cut boy's abilities.

"Anyone else?" Kabuto asked, "We still have a lot of time."

Looking around, and to his satisfaction, found his intended person a bit distanced from the group, Sasuke whispered so that only those who were near could hear him, "Uzumaki Naruto."

Kabuto gave the Uchiha a curious look, but complied nonetheless, fishing out yet another blank card on which data appeared soon after.

"Hm, nothing much to say about this fellow, seeing that he is your team member and all." The grey-haired Genin said unsurely, "His Ninjutsu is pretty much average, Genjutsu ability is almost non-existence and his Taijutsu is sub par. Academically, he fares a bit better but not by much. No offense, but if there was a prefect example of a classic ninja-drop out, he would be it."

The utter looks of surprise that he saw on the two members of Team 7 confused Kabuto even further, surpassing the Uchiha's inquiry on his own team member. Everyone in a 3-man cell could tell what their team mates were and were not capable of easily after a month or two as if it were second nature to themselves. So why did Sasuke look as if the scores belonged to another person and not the blonde-haired Uzumaki Naruto?

Test results in the academy were given out privately to the individual students though the results of the demonstrations and practical tests were open knowledge for all. This discounted any private examinations to graduate earlier or an evaluation of the student's skills. While it was known that Naruto was not the dead-last of dead-lasts, it seemed unreal that Naruto's score within the Academy had been that atrocious.

However, despite what may be said about the blonde by others, only the two members of Team 7 knew the truth; Naruto was anything _but_ a dropout. But before Sasuke could question Kabuto about this, he was interrupted by a sudden chill racing down his back.

The whole room became silent as a wraith of a man walked, flanked by several, shorter but intimidating examiners. Despite being numerically singular, his mere presence set everyone on the edge. Somewhat like a cobra stalking a rat, as many would say.

They weren't far off track.

"Welcome," Morino Ibiki boomed, causing a fair share of the Genins to jump up in surprise, "To the first phase of the Chuunin Examination. Lady Luck has been kind on you up till now; let's hope she stays with you, eh?"

The silent Genin did not reply; they _would_ not, seeing that the man's primal aura to just subtly _maim_ and not _kill_ made them realize how utterly insignificant they were in comparison. By a large margin. A savage grin spread across the man's scarred visage as he observed the Genin in the room like freshly cut meat.

"Because you're going to need it."

* * *

Author's post-chapter ramble: (**SKIP IF YOU WISH**, since I didn't think that this would actually disrupt reader enjoyment at the top...) The first thing that I would like to say and hence forth stop anymore of these unpleasant defenses to 'criticism' (I used the term loosely because 'a person' explained, to a extent, why I'm being a sexist, he/she deserves some credit for that I think), is that whatever that is written in this fiction is just that, fiction. It receives no influence whatsoever from my real-world views and whatnot other than what the world has already unconsciously imprinted onto me.

While a fictional world is certainly detached from reality, I had to create a parallel world of a fictional world which is of a different medium than the original. In order to write and recreate the world of Naruto, I had to adopt certain mindsets in order to make the world somewhat 'canon'. Because Naruto itself is a combination of both visual and audio presentation, it is hardly fair to say that it is a world where everyone is _equal,_ in social ranking, and expectations of society upon people because what is unsaid is even more powerful than what is already clear. (If not, there wouldn't be feudal lords, merchants, the class struggle of the rich and the poor and not to mention, the underlying and ongoing contest of the sexes currently in favor of the male specimen. So as not to anger certain parties, I acknowledge (a long time ago in fact) that in the real-world scenario that females in the western world have already caught up with their male counterparts and a majority of them have surpassed them in certain fields and industry. This is unshakable truth as like the sun rising everyday. I sure as hell am not a sexist if I could admit that, so there, to those of you who believe that I'm a male chauvinist pig. p )

I also acknowledge that while some of what I wrote may seem to lean on sexism, it was, as I maintain, to add 'canonness' to the story because I either 1) am pretty sure that I wasn't overtly trying to be sexist and 2) am not well versed in making everyone agree with the way I write. Also, I didn't believe that it was offensive else I would have rewritten it (Though to be fair to myself, I spent sometime thinking up of a appropriate line. What came out in the end sounded right in getting my message across so I wasn't particular eager to change that.) This only goes to show that I'm not perfect and have a different set of standards and opinions to others.

I consider myself above some people in that I think and seethe over the injustice and inequality in parts of the world that are and still are using anarchic laws to restrict the freedoms of people to their detriment rather than remain ignorant in the face of such knowledge. To actually believe that I'm justifying myself for my sexist ways, through my response in the previous chapter is quite laughable, to be frank. (And quite annoying, to be honest) Because if I were sexist, I wouldn't even be bothering to refute such claims from you.

Thus my ending message for now, as some rather understanding reviewers have said before, is to take things with a grain of salt cuz' it's just the product of creating a 'realistic' world in a bout of creativity without borders. Either accept that with the grace of a adult or...simply stop reading. It's a choice you got to make yourself.

P.S: This is seriously eating into time which can be better spent posting the chapter up earlier. Edit: And this would probably be the last time I do this in a chapter.

Again, while I certainly relish the chance to have a intelligent defense/debate over my overall view and a bias over gender and other things that have not quite surfaced yet , I certainly would choose to do it in a more convenient way which does not require me to update or review my own bloody fic just to reply.

It's completely unfair I'd have to say.

* * *

A/N: Finally finished. I gave a once over and corrected most of the errors that I found, though it isn't the best or through editing on my part, it is the best I could manage at the time. (One in the morning) Hopefully, you guys will find the chapter satisfactory on my part 'cause I'd hate to find out that my slaving through my free time was for naught.

Just to answer a few questions about the story so far (Don't be offended if your query ain't here, because I either missed it due the lack of interest of writing the ending notes or )...yes, our favorite white-haired pervert will be making a appearance...just not yet. While I certainly am displeased with Sasuke in the manga-arc, I do not hate him to the extent of explicitly bashing him ridiculously. Besides, I have plans for him...some good and not so good. Just like Sakura, I'm planning on developing further from the little emo angst machine that he is portrayed in the anime. As for questions relating to Sakura's lack of a trade, it is simply not compulsory and she already has her hands tied by honing her Genjutsu skills. Or would you prefer her to become uber? Still, I haven't decided whether she would come under Tsunade's _direct_ supervision in the future. So her ability as a medic is ambiguous at best. (hint,hint,coughPLOTcough)

Well, that's it I guess. Read, and if my humble story has entertained you wonderful readers in a good way, leave a review. (Or the intelligent beginnings for a fruitful argument though the former is definitely preferred.)

As a insignificant side note, my 'O's returned to me in all it's paper glory to leave me dismayed at my English Language. (A bloody B3?! I deserved an A2 at least, you bloody Cambridge gits!) The rest of my grades were good though.

Till next time,

legacyZero


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Two months late, time flies when procrastinating. Hopefully, you all can forgive me for that dumb rant that I posted in the last time. Will not be repeating that anytime soon...Well, hope you all enjoy the chapter!

Just a small note to enhance your reading experience...if you got the Naruto soundtrack 'Orochimaru-Fight!' play it till the end of the section when you see (1), and 'An Extremely Dangerous Technique' from the second Naruto movie at (2). (3) 'Heavy Violence' and (4) 'Need to be Strong'. Those tracks should be bringing out the scenes in later in the chapter. :p

Another thing, Orochimaru is one sick pedo. Enough said.

Edit: As of 29/05/07, the chapter has been checked and assumed free of errors. Credit goes to Itallia for helping me.

* * *

_Scribble..._

Morino Ibiki watched them as a hawk would. He had already briefed the new batch of examiners on the importance of weeding out those unable to perform the simple task of intelligence gathering, so he need not be that watchful. But just because he could do so and let the task to the others, doesn't mean he should.

_Scribble..._

He watched as another tried to inconspicuously peek at his neighbor's test sheet. Genin, Leaf, and just a teenager...possibly no older than fourteen springs. It was probably the boy's first Chuunin Exam.

Ibiki earned that rank on a blasted mountain path two years younger, tired, numb and very much bloodied. It was not long before temporary status became pretty much permanent once the 2nd Earth-Fire Succession War devolved from a savage blitz by both sides to a meat grinder conflict that raged across the inhospitable border lands of blasted earth and rotting corpses. Memories from that time threatened to resurface, long since suppressed, but Ibiki squashed them down ruthlessly like he was trained to do.

He brought a leather-gloved hand to his chin, stroking it once, running the fabric down the scars that receded to the bottom of his chin.

As much as their Genin prided themselves on their combat skill, their subtlety often left more to be desired and it was no different this year. Relative peace, while enjoyable, had made them lax. Taking note of the seat numbers of the soon to be disqualified Genin, he crossed out the numbers on his sheet. It had been the third time the boy had been caught cheating.

"No. 27, 28, 29, fail. Leave the room now."

As usual, he caught sight of the slight twitch of surprise from their faces, their facial muscles quickly clenching at the notion that they had failed in the first phase. Protest rose in their eyes, burning with indignant anger backed by childish ignorance.

"Why?!"

"What-?!"

"You're not ready." Was all he said, but it was that which was unsaid that was powerful. '_You're not going to survive as a ninja, at your level.'_

The ensuing yaps of protest made it all the clearer about the maturity of the hopeful would-be shinobi.

_Shinobi_ followed their orders to the letter, without exceptions. Those that did not were, quite simply put, trash.

( I I I )

"_Genin...Chuunin...Jounin, these were but empty titles. People thought of shinobi as tools, pre-manufactured weapons that were identical in every aspect in respect to fashioned steel that sliced human flesh than fodder meat. They thought of a rank as indicative of the quality of a shinobi, as one would with steel. This was not true. What defined a shinobi was not rank, but rather, the deeds and acts he had done to earn his rank. No two shinobi were ever the same in manner or in their method. True, we were weapons, but we were forged differently to the extent that one shinobi may not be shinobi in relation to another. Our minds, bodies and techniques in their own right, are unique, being striking additions to the base weapon that could be loosely defined as a shinobi. _

_Common belief was that once a ninja is worthy of the title Jounin, he would be at the height of his power. While this is true in a certain respect as a sign of a shinobi that had matured into a weapon of distinction, learning all that he needs to know to be perfect, it was not as important as it would seems. The reason for this is quite simple. _

_For a shinobi to mature and take shape into weapon of sterling efficiency, there must be a beginning. No matter how good a weapon is in its finality, it can still be broken because of a weak foundation. _

_Then would the most important phase of a ninja's growth lie in his Genin days, the very foundation of a shinobi, where only mere silvers of the true weapon that he could become be seen? However, it was not so much as important what a Genin did than what he was capable of. No, because Genin, as a rule, are almost always universally inadequate, often more in manner and mindset than in physical abilities. While importance lies somewhat close to the Genin days of any shinobi, Genin do not experience the intensity and surrealism that upper tier combat often brings. _

_No, the true crux of every shinobi would be when they were more than Genin but not yet Chuunin, armed with everything a master could impart to them, and the time came for them to take the next step and become a true Chuunin so that the last vestiges of a child would be stripped away to form the beginnings of a weapon…a shinobi__. For they must unleash themselves, in a show of primal energy, as like a blacksmith forging a smoldering blade, to survive, and knowledge alone was never enough." _– Excerpt from the Annals of the Shinobi, amended and revised in the fourth year of His Most Beneficent reign of Lord Sandaime Hokage.

( I I I )

The Savant

Written by legacyZero

( I I I )

The paper on his table was filled with penciled answers to questions both familiar and foreign to him. Setting down his pencil, he looked around. Everywhere he looked, there always seemed to be an examiner, whose discerning eyes scoured the room for any hints of foul play. He shivered when he felt eyes, boring through the back of his skull. Tilting his gaze backwards, he caught the terrible cerulean gaze of the boy from Suna. Even now, they held the same intensity he saw in them a few days prior. A small dust devil, the size of a hand, swirled precariously on his table. Breaking off eye contact, Naruto resumed his observations.

All around, he saw the other candidates in various states of distress or concentration, but all of them were united in the singular act of scribbling down what they thought were the correct answers to the test.

Or that was what it seemed to be.

It was subterfuge in its simplest form. Behind the never-ending pitch-noise of countless sharpened heads of lead meeting poor quality paper, he heard the wraith-like whisperings of _jutsu_, felt the docile chakra that ebbed in the air as it leaked from the human body. It was like a symphony, he imagined. Every technique and method used signified an instrument, adding its own tune to the overall chaotic order of perception and sense, blending into the background and yet at the same time making itself heard clearly.

He watched as Sasuke's onyx-coloured eyes shift to bright crimson, while his writing hand (which he was sure, was quite still the moment before) burst into a frenzy of activity. Removing his ghostly gaze on the Uchiha, he glanced upon Yamanaka Ino as she formed a seal before going limp, only to straighten herself moments later to fill up the empty blanks she had harbored since the beginning of the exam.

As much as he would like to point out that they were _cheating_, he supposed that there wasn't any rule against the act itself, only penalties for being caught cheating. Still, the questions weren't overtly difficult and could be completed with enough effort invested on their part.

After all, the shift of trajectory of a kunai thrown from a height with the force of a low-level taijutsu user, accounting aerodynamic variables, was quite simple to determine, right?

Time past quickly in his eyes, and soon, Ibiki took his place in front of the classroom once more.

"All right!" Ibiki boomed, clapping his hands which glowed a ghostly blue to many an observant eye, gaining the attention of a whole cohort of child-monsters with a thunderclap that tore through the dismally silent room.

"You've come thus far, and thus I shall reveal the tenth and final question to this test. Answer this question right, and you shall advance to the next phase, one step closer to achieving _Chuunin_." He said this with the calmness of a indulging adult, as if explaining a simple fact to a ignorant child, "Answer it wanting however, and I **swear**, by my authority as chief proctor of this exam, that you'll **stay**_Genin_ until the day your last breath leaves your body."

As the words made it painfully clear through the nightmare-haze that enveloped the minds of many, the weak and the lost broke. "But there are others who have taken the exam before and are here!"

Ibiki smiled and it was not kind. "That's too bad. It's my rules this year."

He spread his arms, addressing and mocking his audience with cold comfort at the same time, "Of course, choice is the greatest thing that people can have and I'm not going to deprive you of that. You can _choose_ to leave now and come back next year. After all, what is one year in comparison to the eternal shame of staying as a _Genin_ forever?"

"I...give up!" A boy, somewhere in the mess of Genin, exclaimed loudly, voice visibly cracked for all its loudness, the sound of his chair scrapping the ground as he stood up and left. The disgruntled murmurs of his two teammates were heard as they too left the room.

As they left, a silence descended upon them, and slowly, one by one, hands rose up in resignation. Morino Ibiki watched all of this with impassivity, black eyes unwavering as the room thinned, leaving behind only those certain of their capability.

As the last of those who heeded his words to leave left, Ibiki regarded the remainder with a cool look, enjoying the nervous twitches as time wore down what little composure the Genin had left. He figured that he should drop the ball now. They were only _Genin_, after all.

His next words caused pandemonium to ensue.

"Congratulations, you all have passed the first test."

( I I I )

When Mitarashi Anko crashed through the window and into the room with the velocity of a hyper condensed ball of energy, she was happy to note that half the candidates have been promptly disqualified. Adding that amount to the ones that remained from a separate test conducted in another room, half of the total participants failed from the first test alone. It was more than she expected but nonetheless, she predicted that another half of that number will be cut down rather nicely in short order.

After threatening the Genin not-so-subtly into getting to the next venue for the exam as fast as humanly possible, she turned to roll up the introduction banner that she used earlier in her entrance, happily humming a particularly catchy tune that had been on the radio for the past week, which was oddly enough called 'Blood on Steel, Death by Kunai'.

"_Ahem_." A not-too-subtle cough to her immediate right made her turn to the source. Upon seeing the still present and imposing form of a certain Interrogations Master, she promptly clasped her hands with glee, a mischievous sparkle dancing in her eyes as if she suddenly remembered something particularly useful to her for the present moment.

"Ibiki-_chan_, you're treating me to _**dango**_ later!" She proclaimed sweetly in a way that only a throughout bred _kunoichi_ could, "You lost your bet!"

Ibiki twitched at the suffix, wondering how he managed to be acquainted to the buxom woman. While he did have a bet of sorts running between the feisty Special Jounin and himself, honoring such a dubious and loosely made deal was something that he was, at best, reluctant to do. Especially when it involved a week's worth of dango that would be devoured in a day by a certain purple-haired kunoichi who shall not be named.

"Of course..." He drawled in a way that was not unlike to his prior performance with the Genin, "I'll be glad to uphold my end of the bargain but..."

He pointed to the clearly broken window which was damaged during Anko's rather flashy entrance. "You destroyed public property, property that had been loaned to us for the exam, and in turn, are liable for it. The total cost of repair is the equivalent to a week's supply of dango...by your standard I might add."

Her jaw dropped and her smile was completely wiped off her face by his words. Her honey brown eyes narrowed, expressing genuine hurt (along with crazed anger) at his apparent attempt to get out of the deal, "That is so low of you. Tell me that you _so_ did not do that."

"You shouldn't have destroyed the window either. Windows aren't that cheap, you know, _Suna_ has been rather...late in delivering their glass," Ibiki smirked, "Five servings. Take it or leave it." He said in finality, and the while feeling rather pleased with himself.

Upon hearing this ultimatum, Anko quickly shut up and cut her losses. After all, she would still be getting free dango...albeit a little lesser than she would have liked.

"Fine." She sulked as she left the room, with banner in tow, leaving behind an amused looking Ibiki. The remaining proctors stared at him as if he were crazy.

Crazy which by the way, he was.

( I I I )

Hyuuga Hinata let out the breath she had been unconsciously holding ever since she realized that she had survived through the grinder that had been Morino Ibiki's test of psychological perseverance. She got a bit depressed when she realized that the only reason why she managed to not get her team disqualified because she was too indecisive to do otherwise.

"All right!" Inuzuka Kiba punched up a fist into the air, "That first test was a piece of cake! Right, Akamaru?" The white puppy barked out a response, earning itself a pleasant massage across its ribs.

Looking at the dog and master, she allowed herself a wistful smile. Sometimes, she really wished that the enthusiasm Kiba surrounded himself in rubbed off her. She could really use some of it at the moment...

"Hinata." A soft, but stern voice spoke from behind her, one that she recognized as Aburame Shino, the other link within their three man cell. "Remember what Kurenai-sensei said to us before. Believe in yourself. Self doubt is a hindrance when there's no reason for it."

She tilted her head down at that point, her cheeks burning when she realized that he was complimenting her.

"I-I suppose..." She stuttered softly as she always did, a small smile finding itself to her lips. Shino nodded slightly in affirmation before he resumed walking in relative silence.

They were now walking towards the training fields where the next phase of the exam would start. Near them were the various teams that had passed the first test, but one that stirred her interest was the mismatched trio of white, green and pink. The reason for her interest soon made itself known as she recognized her cousin Neji, wearing an ever present frown on his face.

Not a second later, she found his ire-like gaze on her, as if judging her against things that only he knew. It took an eternity later before he lowered down his head slightly in a gesture of servitude, as was demanded from all Branch members upon meeting those of the Main House. But she knew that action had contained no servitude, only smoldering fires of defiance and willfulness that refused to lie down and die. Cousin Neji had been always like that, ever since he was assigned to guard her and her sister, Hanabi. Sometimes, she worried about him, often wondering what had made his eyes so cold to the world...

Acting with the same quickness as his previous action had been, her cosuin had already lifted his head and resumed to follow his team, never paying her a second glance. Though they were heading for the same destination, they were many ways to reach it. It just so happened that the street they were walking in was the only route from the Academy before it split off into a four way junction. Still, that alone gave her enough time to observe the teammates of her cousin. She always wondered what Neji's team was like. Secretly, Hinata watched as the green clad one with a heinous bowl-cut suddenly bounced towards her cousin, waving his hands animatedly and shouting something that contained curious phrases which sounded suspiciously like "Explosion of Youth" or "Flames of Passion". Before she finally lost sight of them as they turned at the junction, she thought she saw a vein twitch up in her cousin's usually placid face as the green clad boy jumped around him in excitable animation.

It must've been an illusion of the light, right?

With the distraction finally gone, her mind naturally picked up from where her worries had left off. Despite her belief in her teammate's words, Hinata found herself loosing that small scrap of confidence. '_Would I make through this next time?'_, she found herself wondering despairingly.

So lost in her thoughts was she that she nearly bumped into Shino when he suddenly stopped. Suppressing her gasp of surprise, Hinata felt her heart sink in dread as she took in the sight of the majestic forest before her, with minuscule fences feebly containing what that could not be contained.

"We're here." The Aburame said, punctuating an elated whoop from Kiba and an ever-worsening look of worry from Hinata.

They had arrived.

( I I I )

"Ok, you brats! Gather over here!" A certain purple-haired examiner yelled out to a large group of Genin.

The 'brats' did not look pleased at being called as such but did as she ordered. After all, one could afford to bear such indignities when their future was on the line...in more ways than one. Still, that did not deter a too-smart-for-his-own-good Genin, to make a rude gesture when her back was turned.

A few seconds and one kunai later, said Genin wasn't feeling too smart. It drew blood as it sliced the upper-most surface of his cheek, before embedding itself into the ground quite some distance away.

"I saw that." She said lightly in a playful tone, "Now try doing it in front of my face." She was now not so much as smiling as she was grinning savagely, her voice somehow turning the rather peaceful surroundings into a cold looming doom.

The Genin whimpered.

"No?" She asked innocently, "I thought so." As quickly as it had come, the suffocating tightness vanished from the air and she returned to smiling her half-lidded smiles, showing off the pearly whites of her teeth. "Let's us continue."

From within the loose mass of Genin, Hyuuga Neji watched all of this with veiled interest. The way the proctor, Mitarashi Anko, handled herself before in the classroom made him almost snort in disgust. The thought of how one...as _loud_ as she was succeeding as a shinobi was beyond him. However, beneath the exterior of a loud idiot, he noticed that there was something insidious about her, something that existed on the very borders of perception. Yes, the Byakugan had made him open his eyes in so many ways but here, he very much relied on the ways of reading body language to see fully with clarity. And it wasn't until just now that he realized the primal truth behind Mitarashi Anko; The slight narrowing of her eyes when he saw the tell tale signs of anger flicker, her muscles clenching and tightening like that of a snake ready to strike, the speed of her hands and dexterity of her fingers as she drew and threw a kunai in the time it took to blink an eye.

No, he realized, amending his opinion with slight chagrin, luck had nothing to do with it. Mitarashi Anko was Jounin based on the simple and natural fact that she was a snake.

This only served to reinforce his belief that that nothing was as it seemed, especially in the world of _shinobi_. He removed his attention from the examiner, who was now explaining the rules and the test.

Just as he did earlier during the exam, he observed the remaining teams that existed on this side of the vast testing grounds. He knew that there were others beside they, who were stationed at a different sector perimeter of the fencing. It was a acceptable variable because he could not do anything about it. However, to not even judge the competition when possible was akin to asking for a kunai in the skull. Such information became even more vital with the start of real combat, for he knew just as well as any veteran of the exams that death came just as easily as it was dealt in the cover of shadows. The forest before him, or what that he could see beyond the fence, was massive, and the undergrowth itself was grotesquely uneven and thick, all of which were adequately fulfilling the aspect of determining favorable and disadvantageous terrain.

As one of the more brilliant minds of strategy had said in a time ages past, 'To win in battle, one must understand the terrain, the enemy and yourself. '

He fulfilled the other two conditions but he did not know his opponents, plural or otherwise. While he did not want and preferred not to fight _Konoha_ shinobi at this stage, making it to the third phase of the exam would render that null seeing that it would become a free-for-all, disregarding the village of origin. Though the second phase was undeniably more dangerous, it was also easier in a way; it allowed the use of trickery and deceit more freely than in the set matches, the two most important things that a shinobi could do barring Ninjutus and Taijutsu.

He quickly skimmed over those he had judged to be of no threat to him, before his eye landed upon the fabled Uchiha of Team 7. The others of his team were insignificant, registering in his mind as an over-anxious girl with pink gum for her hair, and a blonde in orange that succeeded well at _not_ making himself concealable. The Uchiha himself seemed carry himself with an air of boredom about him. It was to be expected really. He too, felt the monotony of the trials, but unlike the Uchiha, he would not be making the mistake of underestimating anybody though he would judge accordingly their worth through these eyes of his.

It was going to be the cause of the second instance that he was going to admit that things were not as they seemed in the not so distant future.

( I I I )

"-and that's it. If there are no questions, please sign the death liability forms which are currently being distributed. Failure to sign would result in immediate forfeiture to the exam entirely."

Nara Shikamaru tried to stifle his yawn. Reviewing and repeating in his mind what the 'friendly' proctor had said before, he had come to realize a few rather blunt truths.

The first, they had three days to reach the centre of the rather uninviting terrain that was mildly called a forest at best, and a death-trap at worst. And judging from the time given to traverse said death-trap, which was only five by five kilometers at best, there had to be something that, theoretically (for he could not see anything from his side of the forest that could make a team of fully fit ninja, albeit _Genin,_ but still, take three days just to cover five kilometers in distance), would sufficiently slow them down. The young Nara had a sinking feeling that it was going to be a unknown variable that he, in time, would hate to find out first hand.

The second was that they had a fifty percent chance to pass. It was odds which were good at first glance but taking into account of all the rather intimidating faces that _had_ seen through Morino Ibiki's farce of a test, the odds were leaning to the _other_ fifty. After the so-called weeding of the candidates, no longer did he see in ample quantities the anxious faces of Genin but rather the impassive masks of _shinobi_. While looks meant nothing in terms of actual ability, it did not bode well for them regardless.

The third and probably most dire truth, in hindsight, was that he realized how utterly unprepared they were for the Chuunin Exam. Out of all the Konoha teams, they were the weakest from looks alone. Sure, Team 8 looked a little lost, but they had Aburame Shino. While Shikamaru didn't know the other boy very well, he knew enough to know that he was someone that could look out for himself and his team.

The same cannot be said however, for him and Team 10.

It also looked like another troublesome day ahead of him. He tried to stifle a groan but failed, his off-hand comment catching the ire of ever irritable Ino. "Man, this is so troublesome."

A rather concentrated area of his right shoulder exploded in pain and he yelped in surprise.

"OW!"

He turned to look at the culprit, the rather lovely and troublesome Yamanaka Ino, who still held out her hand, straightened to the degree that it would generate a rather nice slap on the shoulder or face should it be used in that way. He frowned severely at the girl which was largely ignored by her.

"Oh, would you just stop saying that?! Seriously, could you take this a little more seriously?" She screeched in a way that did little to comfort his ears, as she started to touch her hair, stroking it once before flipping it back. It was something that he noticed Ino would only do when she was nervous. Or extremely annoyed and bored. Now that he thought about it, her voice was a bit off, revealing itself as a slight wobble in her tone that was just _not_ there before.

It took him a few seconds to realize something that only served to fuel the simmering migraine that threatened to split across his sleep-deprived consciousness.

Ino was, for a lack of a better term, _afraid_. Despite all her protestations and denials if asked- and he knew she would if confronted with the question since he knew for a fact that girls have their pride, Ino especially so-, she was caught unprepared for the Chuunin exams. He knew she was since she had often badgered Asuma for early dismissals to pretty up for the Uchiha during the first few weeks of utter monotony. Not much could be said about him either, since he too wanted more time to enjoy his favored pastime.

Ino, at the moment, was still quietly ranting at him. He ignored it with the ease of having being nagged at since...well, ever. Still, that did not excuse her rather caustic manner towards him to conceal that fear, regardless of her need to retain some sense of normalcy. Honestly, girls were so troublesome...

He looked to his left. As expected, Chouji was munching on chips drawn from the ever present plastic bag in his hands. It was the only constant that Shikamaru found comfort in at this point in time, oddly enough. As if responding to his look, Chouji turned his head, eyes squeezed tight as he smiled.

"Neh...Shikamaru...do you want one?" He offered Shikamaru his bag.

There was only one chip left. Chouji never did offer him the last chip before.

The realization did not do anything to soothe the butterflies that suddenly died in his stomach.

( I I I )

Ever waiting, he was.

All his life he had been waiting, sometimes shortly, sometimes he waited for days on end. Still, if it was one thing he could be certain about himself it was that he excelled in waiting. He had often heard from the sand, in the whispers of the wind, that people called him a hunter, a stalker of sorts. Of course, it was not in his hearing else they became the next unfortunates to disprove the general consensus. Regardless, he could be patient when he wanted to be. Which wasn't often.

This time was no different. He felt the impatience rising within and soothed himself with the promise of blood that was to flow soon. He could wait when the inevitable hunt was about to begin. The thought of Uzumaki Naruto crossed his mind as he considered and weighed those who were worthy to feed his existence. The thought died a second later as he realized that the blonde was no prey like the others before him. He too was like him, a hunter in the flesh.

However, between the two, he of the shifting sands was the better of the two. The only that remained to cement that fact was to engage the blonde and perhaps...savor the moment. Again, he felt his blood rise in anticipation and once again, as he did numerous times before, calmed it down with the virtue of patience. His blood still hissed, but it was more subdued than before, turning its attention to the more immediate hunt. While he waited for that glorious time to come, he could sate his hunger with appetizers that mattered little more than insects to him. His blood and Mother agreed and cheered, as they always did.

Sabaku no Gaara licked his lips, watching intently as Mitarashi Anko unsealed the ward on the fence gate. An annoying woman to be sure, but he saw her for what she truly was, a snake. Despite being a more powerful a predator than she, Gaara knew better than tempt the ire of people he could not kill, and thus gave her the rare privilege of not being listed as a prey. Still, with her exemption, Mother would be displaced, thus others would have to take her place.

Looking at the crowd around him, he allowed himself a smile. There was so much prey that could satisfy him.

After all, what fun was there to be had when he claimed the strongest that Gaia had to offer?

( I I I )

It had been a day, or so they thought, since they entered the Forest of Death, so-named by a rather enthusiastic Mitarashi Anko. It had not comforted them much but nether did the eerie silence of the forest. Three days had seemed to be an awfully long time for time to transverse five standard kilometers of heavy forest.

But like everything shinobi do, there was always a reason why three days had been the time limit for this test. They found out an hour later, or what had seemed like an hour to them.

Time was a concept that was foreign to this place. Ever since they entered this labyrinth of lofty and verdant trees, oversized through the application of chakra, their senses have been distorted to the point of disorientation. Compasses failed to work, their needles changing directions every second. The very nature of the forest shifted on a whim, often placid at times while stifling at others, making it difficult for them all to get what rest they could from short fifteen minute breaks, timed by the steady drip of dew that fell from the dark canopy above. .

Still, it seemed that not all fared better than they had with the mysterious distortion of the five senses. It was by a stroke of luck that they had stumbled across a team from Iwa, not too long ago.

There was no fight, no grand confrontation for superiority and the right to advance as there was no need to even fight in the first place. They all felt the abnormal change of flow with the chakra within their bodies and acted accordingly, slowing their heartbeats (and thus the amount they were affected by chakra) to the point where it was just enough to facilitate thought and movement. They dared not to use chakra if they did not need to. And the result of failure to do so was blatantly shown right before them. Sakura gasped as if seeing a terrible sight when she saw their humbled forms, her normally emerald eyes erupting into an unearthly bright golden before she willed them into dormancy.

Their opponents' bodies were a twitching mess as pallid _chakra_ flowed from their hands, faces and mouths, as if it bled through an open wound not visible through the human eye. They were still alive however, that was obvious enough, though it was unlikely that they would remain alive for long.

It was an end that Team 7 hoped not to have.

Moving as he always did, Sasuke had proceeded to search the bags of the Iwa-nins for the scroll that the other team was sure to have. They possessed, quite conveniently he had to say, the scroll of Earth which they needed to compliment their scroll of Heaven. They relieved them their scroll and moved on. It was a good sign, if one thought selfishly, that others were having a set of problems which was greater than theirs.

The loss of their usual control over chakra was disconcerting for them all, but it had affected Sakura the most, it seemed.

Since the time they entered the forest, it had been the fourth time that Sakura had lost control over her chakra, which manifested in the golden irises that she, just moments ago, had; her eyes had returned to their normal shade after a while, the gold hue fading as if forced and deliberate. It was obvious that she was slowly but surely getting tired from exerting control over her errant chakra, if she was not already at that point. Then as if rekindled, the green in her eyes died again, giving birth once more to amber.

Sakura sighed softly. It was had been the fifth time that her eyes changed, to view the world beneath the one that everyone saw. She did not bother to change it back.

The boys noticed this but did not comment; they mostly left Sakura to her own devices and expected her to ask for help should she need it. Or rather, Sasuke did not wish to intervene unless there was a direct threat to her immediate health. He did not wish to admit it but even if Sakura had asked for his help concerning her 'condition', he would have done no better than she did. It was a fact. His understanding of Genjutsu was...rudimentary at best, lacking at worst. And it was a fact that he did not enjoy.

They continued on for a bit until they came to a small clearing; a blessing considering that most of what that had seen in the forest had been uneven top-soil squashed between the massive buttresses of trees and vapid stretches of black undergrowth.

"We should rest for now." Naruto said, and for the first time since his teammates could remember, wore a burdened expression on his usually blank façade. Neither of the other two disagreed. Time within the forest had not been kind to him, even if it did not encroach onto him like it did to Sakura.

As Naruto went to gather deadwood for a small fire, Sasuke saw the pink-haired member of their team kneel down, her eyes screwed shut and features straining in concentrating. A sudden emptiness radiated from one of the nearby trees, a hole, that left him unable to detect anything from that direction. A second, third and fourth 'hole' were soon made, effectively covering all directions around the clearing.

Sasuke felt a sudden tingle on his skin as the last 'hole' was erected, something that was distinctively different from the ninjutsu that Sakura used seconds prior, "Genjutsu?" He asked the girl who seemed, for the lack of a better term, drained. The disorienting effect that the jutsu produced, coupled with the inherent anomaly of the forest, made him a little woozy.

Sakura nodded tiredly, but proudly. "Partially correct. It's a hybrid mix of ninjutsu and genjutsu. It'll keep us hidden from enemies but with the amount of interference going on, I don't think that would be a problem." She dusted her hands off before slumping against a stump, "You'll feel strange for a while but there are no side-effects that I know of being this close to an anchor-point."

The gold in her eyes had dissipated again, he noted. "Kakashi has taught you well." Sasuke found himself saying. He vaguely realized that it was the closest thing to a compliment he had given to someone since...ever. The girl flushed nicely, despite her lethargy.

"Well, despite his looks, he's not bad at teaching than I thought." She said, cheeks blushing before her expression darkened slightly. "Still...he only taught me the basics; I'm going to have to create most of the jutsu I'll be using in the future. Isn't that what Kakashi-sensei told you as well, in regards to your ninjutsu?"

Sasuke gave a slight nod. During his free time, he had been busy developing jutsu of his own...without much success. Despite his understanding in the basic theory of why it would help him to create rather than copy, Sasuke found that the techniques found in his family archives and scrolls were more powerful than the paltry ones that he could create. In that sense, he found that copying was far more economical that simply creating a new technique from scratch. It was especially so when he had the entirety of his clan's archives at his fingertips.

The process was different and far more difficult than the ones who dabbled in ninjutsu. One did not simply copy existing Genjutsu and use them. Copying only would cost more chakra to use but more importantly, it lacked the power that the original user would have had if he or she used it instead because of the lack of 'meaning' behind it. General genjutsu which made use of ordinary 'triggers' lacked the emotional weight to intensify the experience, resulting in weak and pitiful attempts to break the will of trained killers. It might have worked on the vast majority of civilians, but against a shinobi, especially one who excelled at such arts, such cheap tricks were more than often the cause of death for many novice Genjutsu users over the course of history. However, creating your own technique presented another set of problems, one of the main problems was the risk of trapping yourself within the unfinished illusion.

In a way...Sakura was better than he was, or at least, going to be. In that sense, anyway; Sasuke was fairly certain that he could beat her fairly easily.

Still, to think that Sakura had reached a level where she was ready to create her own techniques revolving around such risky premises, however simplistic, was indication of how much she had evolved from the little girl Sasuke had seen in the classroom. He knew that the girl had received up a measure of training from their Jounin-sensei but the extent of it was unknown until now. Despite her lacking in combat ability, Sakura was now an equal among the three of them; none of them knew Genjutsu intimately like she did in the team. Nor were they able to produce anything to the effect of the technique she had done earlier; Sasuke was sure that, even Naruto, who seemed to possess some level of understanding in the Illusionary arts, was unable to replicate it. Though it was obvious that Sakura presently lacked offense in her chosen field, it was at times like these that showed her potential.

He didn't realize that he was clenching his fist so hard that his nails drew blood from his palm.

It was only when Sakura alerted him to it that he knew he was bleeding. "Sasuke-kun, you're bleeding!" She gushed, not unlike the times when she wanted to catch his attention.

Sasuke simply smiled grimly to himself. '_Heh, to think that I was considering Sakura, of all people, as a rival...'_

( I I I )

Setting up a small fire was easy. It was only when he realized that the smoke produced would endanger their location that he decided against it. But then when Sakura pointed out that they could not smell the smoke because of the barrier she had put up and the forest's ability to hinder any attempts to use chakra, he felt something burn in his cheeks that Iruka would have described as embarrassment.

Sometimes, he found to his immense annoyance, he failed to notice the obvious.

They sat around the miniature fire, wordless save from the occasional question from Sakura who seemed to be happy for no apparent reason. The meal itself was a silent affair, with a brief question being directed at the tanto that Sasuke brought along. The Uchiha merely explained with a sentence, "I needed a weapon, and a kunai wasn't good enough." He unsheathed it, allowing the blade to be viewed by them. It had no hint of smear on it, despite not shining like new blades did. And if one felt closely enough, they would feel the ghost-wisp signs of chakra about the blade, chained and waiting.

Digging through his pouch, Naruto produced a small bottle filled with pellets.

"What are those?" Sakura asked, "I never seen pills of that colour before..."

"These," Naruto said, "are soldier pills. They will help us fight off fatigue."

Soldier pills, though he had never seen them before, did more than that. It was said to be a product unique to the Fire Country, or more specifically, Konohagakure. The Akimichi, apart from being famed for their monstrous strength drawn from the sheer energy of fat, were renowned for their skills as chemists and nutritionists. The invention of the soldier pill was testament to that. Being able to restore stamina within minutes of ingestion, it was the staple of any experienced shinobi worth his salt in physically demanding missions. The only downside that it had was that it could not be taken multiple times in a short span of time to boost the effect, which was not a much of a disadvantage considering.

Sakura, having tried all the medicine that Naruto had given her and finding them to be more beneficial than not, decided to trust the legitimacy of his claims. She took a pill from the bottle and chewed on it before swallowing. Her eyes bugled out slightly when the taste kicked in.

"Ack, it tastes like crap." Sakura coughed out, "Why didn't you tell me before I took it?"

"Ï thought it tasted fine." Naruto replied, before offering the bottle to Sasuke.

While Sasuke would rather die than accept, he grudgingly acknowledged the potency of Naruto's skills in medicine, and at this point, he had gone too far to refuse anything he could use to keep himself going.

A little voice in the back of his head told him that he was going to need that energy for later.

( I I I )

They walked for a long time, moving towards what seemed to be the centre of the forest where they were supposed to be after three days. So far, all they heard were the faint sounds of fighting that died down quickly. It left them all edgy and cautious. They did not want to risk losing one or both their scrolls if they met a superior opponent. They finally cleared the thick foliage to emerge at a small stream flowing from a waterfall. Immediately, they had better than they could remember ever since they entered the forest, as if a great oppressing pressure had been lifted up from their shoulders. Perhaps, it seemed that the influence of the forest only extended as far as there were trees to hide the sky.

Naruto suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong?" The Uchiha asked, noticing the blonde's lack of movement.

"Someone is here." He murmured, eyes frowning as he scanned the area before he pointed in front of him. "There."

Following the direction of the finger, they saw a tall lithe figure standing across the river in a clearing that was obviously not occupied moments before, dressed too ubiquitously to be identified as male or female.

"Why, hello there..." The stranger hissed, a long tongue exiting from its mouth. "I don't suppose you're willing to give up your scrolls are you?" As things stood, all of them doubted very much that he or she just wanted their scrolls. The killer intent they felt was proof of that.

Sasuke frowned, withdrawing his tanto from its scabbard. "I don't think so."

( I I I )

(1)

Despite the amusement that came from seeing his former washed-out apprentice again, Orochimaru was getting impatient. He had spent a long time trying to track down Uchiha Sasuke within the man-made labyrinth that was the Forest of Death. True, it had been ingenious of the genjutsu's creator to have tied it to the life force of the trees themselves, making it very hard indeed to dispel its effects once within in the effective radius. But such tricks did not deter one who had been crowned as one of the three greatest shinobi to be born within the last five decades.

Imagine his joy when his target suddenly popped out from the woods.

Even now, he could see the sheer potential that the Uchiha had as a container. Chakra that felt soft and pliable, bones that did not creak with age, all these appealed to him but only one thing about the boy made him want him so.

Orochimaru smiled gleefully as the Uchiha survivor charged towards him, wielding that pitiful stick of steel against his Kusanagi. Such audacity, such naivety! The power of the Sharingan would be his! Today was but a beginning to that eventual end. Even though the boy moved painfully slow, he let him close up the gap till he could feel the chakra flowing within the boy's body.

The boy swung his weapon arm, missing by a wide margin as he let his blade hit unfulfilling air. Orochimaru smirked, readying his own blade in a counterstroke, before he heard a brief murmur of activation. The blade which had looked so ordinary before shimmered with chakra, glowing white hot in the blink of an eye.

"_Katon_."

Widening his eyes in surprise, Orochimaru jumped back, feeling the heat of a thousand suns bearing upon him. The very air before him had been immolated, which burned and sustained its fires with the fusion of oxygen and chakra. The fire itself died quickly though its effect was clear enough. He knew that his mask had partially melted off from the heat, and he could feel the stinging tinge of a burn despite having avoided the fire altogether.

He watched as the Uchiha readied his blade in a stance once more, but this time, he paid no heed to how the boy stood. He was more interested in the little parlor trick that the boy had done. He focused on his weapon hand, watching as a steady and almost invisible stream of chakra flowed to the hilt from the hand before moving on to the blade, which hungrily devoured it until there was no trace left of it till the time came when it would be unleashed.

Such lovely ingenuity! He will not be underestimating the younger Uchiha again anytime soon.

His smile only widened as one of the Uchiha's teammates, an insignificant excuse of a blonde insect, sent _bunshin_ at him in an Academy-grade fashion. From afar he could hand-seals fluttering between both their hands as they made a poor attempt at intimidation. Orochimaru resisted a laugh, no _bunshin_ could do jutsu. At best, they were idle threats made by the greenest of Genin and the death of fools at worst. It almost reminded him of Jiraiya's dumb antics back then, flashy but no less harmless.

It wasn't until a large shadow was cast over him that he began to worry.

( I I I )

(2)

He watched as the stranger, who wore a face was not his at all, smiled before his expression faltered beneath the shadows of his _Suiton_ creations. The water dragons bore down on with vengeful fury onto the over confident stranger, who would no doubt be crushed by the combine weight of the water enforced by the bonds of chakra woven within it.

Naruto did not miss a beat when he saw the man perform a _kawarimi_ to appear outside the killing zone of his technique. He watched as his _kage_-_bunshin_ summon up another dragon from the river before 'puffing' after reaching its limits.

He signaled to Sasuke to renew his attack again, who stood with nonchalance within his sight, just as Naruto was in his. No mercy would be spared to the stranger, just as one would not pardon a hyena bearing its teeth.

The Uchiha complied with his command and began pushing his advantage against the man with his comparatively shorter blade. It, as Naruto had witnessed moments before, was a weapon to fear. No longer did a blade have to dig into flesh in order to wound. What it did by the virtue of its sharp edges, it accomplished with the brimming energy of chakra. The blade spat out a voluminous plume of flames in intervals, forcing the taller and lithe stranger to back away lest he found himself burned to a crispy cinder.

He glanced to his side, seeing Sakura look upon the fight with nervous energy. The Genjutsu user did nothing, for at the moment, she had nothing that could help the Uchiha out. Her talents lied with the subtle manipulation of the senses, and combat itself as a counter to her ways seeing that it heightened the senses rather than dull them.

A hand-seal later, several clones flanked him before rushing off to aid the Uchiha in his melee. The original blonde, however, did not join the other boy in his sword-knife fight. There was something strange about their opponent that he could just not put his finger on...

( I I I )

(1)

"_Katon_." The Uchiha whispered, his blade glowing white-hot before it unleashed itself.

Another wave of heat passed over him, setting ablaze the boulder behind him. Orochimaru, despite his earlier confidence, was tiring of the resistance that the boy had been putting up. Regardless of the length advantage of the Kusanagi had over the Uchiha's nameless dagger, the boy had held his ground with that thrice damned blade that kept lighting the air into liquid fire.

It was time, the Snake Sannin decided, to stop playing around.

He let off his killing intent, focusing the entirety that immense pressure onto the boy. Uchiha Sasuke froze and Orochimaru felt the corners of his lips tug into a smile, his previous disposition coming back slowly. He brought his face closer to the boy, clearly enjoying the situation greatly.

"Do you feel that, boy? I'm no _Genin_ to be toyed and thrown around," He hissed, as he circled the Uchiha, "This power that I have at my disposal...power that will help you kill Itachi."

At the mention of his brother, Sasuke narrowed his eyes, which sublimed to the red hue of the Sharingan. "Power? What power do I see? Merely cheap jutsu guised in the form of power." Despite his words, there remained a small doubt that pleased the Snake Sannin to no end.

He smiled to himself, happy that he planted the first seeds of his plans into the young mind of the last Uchiha loyal to Konoha. His mood did not last however, as more _bunshin_- no, he corrected, _Kage-Bunshin_, approached them with intent.

Blonde replicas given temporary flesh and form; that was all they were. But the fact that they could use jutsu was surprising in itself. It was known that even trying to perform most rudimentary of techniques tended to overload the fragile ley-lines within a clone, causing it to disappear. Still, such a thing was not enough to dissuade him from charging towards the clones. Though his _Kusanagi_ had been turned away by the chakra-fires of his future container, there was no such chance of it being denied now as it cleaved through clone after clone.

Still, he had to give them credit for trying so hard. A few of them managed to get off a _Katon_ technique, and what a technique it was. The black winding scars marked the earth, where the stream and land met were testament to the strength behind the jutsu. He had never seen clones perform such exhaustive techniques and still have enough for a second go.

However, despite their excellent performance, not one of the _Kage-Bunshin_ survived, but it was to be expected, he supposed. No matter how fast they tried to perform a technique, clones were only good so long as they remained unharmed.

Looking around, he noted that while the rest of his little team was still comfortable on the other side of the stream, Sasuke was no where to be found. A sudden shift in the air around him told him of what he needed to know. He could even smell the ozone oozing from the blade after repetitive use of it abilities.

"That's awfully dumb of you, Sasuke-kun." He chided uncaring of the blade that was going for his throat. A gigantic snake burst up from the ground beneath, the impact of the resulting debris flinging the Uchiha backwards into the forest behind him. A thud announced to the world that the Uchiha wasn't going to get up anytime soon.

He jumped onto the head of his summoned snake before hissing out a string that no one could understand. Several more snake emerged from the shadowy depths of the forest behind him, their size a marked scale smaller but no less cyclopean.

It was time to crush some insects.

( I I I )

(4)

He had made a mistake.

He should have known better than to underestimate a lone opponent.

And now, they were paying for it. The Uchiha had been knocked out of commission and was now being tended to by Sakura, which left only him to face this menacing enemy. Not that it would help if Sakura was able to aid him, animal summons were resilient to the mind-wrapping effects of Genjutsu.

He had summoned up a total of twenty five enhanced clones, five to a 'team', each one fully capable of independent thought. There were seven snakes, not including the one that the stranger was using as a steed. Sending the command to his clones to take up their positions, Naruto observed the other side quietly.

The stranger regarded all his clones and their formation with joy, his yellow serpentine eyes glazed over with unsuppressed glee. Without warning, the menacing snakes surged forward, their jaws wide open to swallow up anything that stood in their way. Almost immediately, his 'army' retaliated with lethal force.

"_**Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu**_"

"_**Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu!**_"

In a scene of total anarchy that lasted seconds where fire turned flesh into pitiful reminders of life and once docile water crushed bone, Naruto found himself apathetic to the scenes of death surrounding him. On one side, his clones were dispatching a weakened snake with nothing but kunai and surgical strikes into every one of the summon's weak points, and on the other, a team of clones 'died' as they were crushed under the dead-weight of the beast they had slain. Despite the firepower his clones had put out, there were summons which survived the initial onslaught to deliver their counterattack. So, far, the combined might of his _Kage-Bunshin_ had evened the odds in this chaotic yet orderly battle and were clearing up on the last remaining snakes. Still, he had used up half his chakra to create the clones, and a substantial amount to maintain their forms during battle.

He had little more than half that number remaining now; approximately three teams were available to him. He left one team to protect Sakura and the Uchiha. But before he could do anything, the massive snake slithered forward to a point, where he could take stock of his opponent as he did to him.

"Ah, such an admirable fight. I suppose you aren't all that useless, whiskered-boy." The figure on the remaining snake said.

Naruto did not respond, but he commanded his 'guards' to flank his sides in a forward attack position. He did not need to say anything. Words were superfluous at this point.

His silence was not appreciated. "Rude, aren't you?" The man behind the mask frowned. "I suppose it does not matter since you are going to die anyway." It was then, Naruto realized, the figure unleashed the full force that he was holding back before.

All the plan, strategies and hope he had vanished the second the man's aura descended upon him. "...I...concede defeat. Do what you what with our scrolls but spare our lives."

The man laughed at that. "Scrolls? I have no need for them." The monster licked his lips. "Sasuke-kun, on the other hand..."

For the first time he remembered, Naruto felt despair. It was not a feeling that was pleasant, nor was it welcomed. Gathering his wits, he began to think. For all his power, there had to be a weakness...Naruto held no illusions that he could defeat this _monster_ with his current abilities but he had a measure of confidence that he could buy enough time for them to escape into the relatively safe confines of the forest and it's veil of influence.

Within his list of conventional techniques, he had found no answer. But within his vast knowledge of forbidden techniques, there was one which suited this task perfectly.

There were many risky variables and what-ifs that could happen but it was the only plan that would work.

(4)

Naruto, in that instant, decided to risk it.

Several clones charged at the snake, and a few were swept aside by the powerful swish of its tail. But that did not deter the others as they called up the elements of fire and water to vanquish their foe.

The stranger had long since leapt from the head of his pet and went straight for him, brandishing his sword in an unspoken promise to cleave his flesh. Naruto simply stood still, as if waiting for death to come. When he was within sword-reach, his opponent yelled in delight. "Now die!"

He dodged at the last moment, his outline glowing bright crimson, bringing a red fist up for a punch which could have shattered bones if it connected. The man fell to the side, as if understanding the danger of such a hit striking him. He stretched his arm towards the blonde, revealing several snakes sprung out to bite the boy.

Naruto shrugged them off, grabbing hold of their tails and pulled them off.

"I got you." was all he said before clones broke through the ground, tackling the man to the ground, simultaneously locking his limbs in place. Four clones then appeared, forming a square around the flailing mass of bodies. Jumping away had been the signal for the clones to begin their work, who then conjured a pyramid of the blackest fire to engulf them all.

( I I I )

(1)

She had watched as the insanely strong shinobi ripped through Naruto's defenses with ease. Not even Zabuza had done so and was the strongest they had ever faced. Still, it was a stroke of luck that the boy managed to imprison the man with an unknown jutsu.

He appeared in front of her, arms bloodied and body bruised. "You're injured!" He collapsed. "Naruto!"

The fallen boy grabbed her arm, making the girl gasp in surprise.

"He's after Sasuke..." He muttered, tired from the earlier battle, "We do not have much time left...the barrier will break soon."

"What can we do?" She started helplessly, her eyes alternating from the unconscious form of the Uchiha and Naruto. "We can't win!"

Naruto remained silent for a moment, still clutching onto her wrist. She found herself getting more uncomfortable with his touch.

"Hey, what are-" Her words were cut short as Naruto's hand glowed blue, letting off a surge of chakra that found no other outlet than her body.

Within the span of a second, she found herself drowning in the grand awareness that linked a genuine clone to its creator. Information, techniques, combat stances, everything and nothing she knew about streamed into her mind as one big incomprehensible chunk. She had understood the theory of the _Kage-Bunshin_ but never did she experience having one in her control. It was more overwhelming than she had thought, especially so when she was controlling a clone not of her own making. She also knew that there were so many unknown factors that presented themselves with attaching control of one's clones to another. Even the feedback alone was enough to kill her if it went wrong. It was suffice to say that she was scared beyond her wits.

She screwed her eyes shut as the foreign feeling dimmed, as if awaiting a great spike of pain to come after that. Sakura blinked when the expected pain did not come.

"I've transferred general control of the clones to you, severing the maintenance link in the process, to your benefit." He said, ignoring the look of astonishment from the girl, "Use them as you see fit. I've a plan but I need time." Reaching into his pouch, he took out his bottle of soldier pills and popped one into his mouth. "My _Kage-Bunshin_ should have enough strength within them to serve that end at least." With that, the boy stood up and disappeared from her sight, leaving her with five clones with more chakra than she could have imagined at her finger tips.

'_What are your orders, Mistress?'_ The clones chorused as one. The girl clutched her head as a headache threatened to emerge. Giving the group a glance, they looked light to her but within she could see the sheer amount of chakra invested into their forms, each one containing more reserves than she had presently. The connection between her and them was disorientating...more so than the forest had done.

Focusing her thoughts, she spoke unsteadily. "Erm...I'm new at this so..."

'_We have no time left,'_ They pointed to the barrier which began to crack. The clones that were maintaining it seemed fatigued, but it was clear that they would vanish soon and with them, the barrier which has kept the monster in check till now. _'We have enough intelligence to understand you. Give us a command now.' _The clones, like their creator, were straight to the point, she thought, annoyed.

Dragging the Uchiha towards the edge of the forest, she performed a Genjutsu upon his immediate area with hopes that their opponent would not notice the body and proceed through her and the clones.

She transformed into a splitting image of Sasuke. If it was an opponent that even Naruto and Sasuke-kun could not handle, what made her think that she could by herself? If she could delay her opponent and forced him to deal with each of them one by one, in fear of harming the original, then using the _henge_ would be her best option. She hoped that Naruto would be finished before it came to her turn.

"_Henge_ yourselves to Sasuke-kun please." She ordered, "It should buy enough time for us if we do it that way."

The clones assented to her, and transformed.

The nearby clones 'poofed' into smoke, their chakra all but finished fueling the barrier. A figure rushed towards them the second the barrier dissipated. The clones prepared to engage, a furry of information and tactics flowing from them to Sakura's mind, causing her to momentarily buckle from the mental overload.

But in no time at all, without a single jutsu being used, the clones disappeared. Where there was once a quiet chatter within the corner of her mind, there was silence. Fear crept up to her stomach, seeing nothing and sensing nothing.

"Checkmate, my boy..." The stranger whispered, his voice dangerously close to her ear.

She tried to scream as deep fangs pierced her neck.

( I I I )

"Checkmate, my boy..." He murmured gently as he dispatched the last clone from existence. Before him, was the last and only 'Sasuke' left. It did not take his genius to figure out that it was the real one this time. Trying to bite clones that were ready to blast you with fire was not pleasant in the least.

Orochimaru grinned, extending his neck and bit down forcefully on Sasuke's neck. He let the 'gift' within his blood extend into the body of another. It left a passing sting for him but the experience would certainly be an ear-shattering one for the receiver.

He smiled, his task done. Now all he had to do was wait-

A great whirlwind of air caused him to turn, bestowing his view upon a sight that caused him to screech. He _knew_ that technique the boy holding. He did not dare to believe it.

"You caused us a bit of trouble. Disappear." Uzumaki Naruto said, his eyes glowing with a faint crimson.

Orochimaru howled his disbelief. He would not be undone so easily!

The blonde brought his arm forward.

There was a great explosion of light and then...nothing.

( I I I )

He woke up feeling groggy.

Uchiha Sasuke did not comprehend the situation, and that in itself was a cause for worry. But his worry heightened when he awoke to find a battle scarred area. He saw Sakura's limp form nearby, shivering and shaking slightly. He frowned; he had found Sakura, but there was no sign of Naruto at all. The tranquil sound of the flowing stream was a irony, considering the amount of holes, patches of blackened earth and the presence of several and severely maimed snake corpses.

Massive snake corpses, he corrected.

Quickly, he moved towards the girl, pressing a pair of fingers on her neck to check for a pulse. He gave a sigh when he felt a beat, but frowned when he saw two punctured holes. It was then he noticed something on the girl's neck, three dots with their tails extending outwards in clockwise, just under the holes themselves. He noticed how warm her skin was. Putting his hand on her forehead, he instantly regretted it and recoiled. The uncomfortable heat radiating from her forehead was all he needed to know that something was terribly wrong.

Medicine was not his expertise; Uzumaki Naruto had filled out that role admirably...that is, until he was mysteriously unavailable.

"Oh _shit_." He eloquently said.

Suddenly, every contingency he had planned and expected for since...ever, was just shot to Hell.

* * *

A/N: Done for now. Spelling errors and other writer mistakes are to be expected, and hopefully included in your review so I know what to change ASAP. (No beta, as usual) To be honest, the chapter was long...the ending fight had exhausted me to the core, literally. It was supposed to be capped at two thousand and well...let's just say that it expanded.

I should really start to write shorter chapters...

Still, I hoped you all like the cliffhanger. I got a feeling that nobody had ever made Sakura take the curse seal before this chapter...I think. Still, I will cover the second part of the Forest of Death to the end of the Preliminaries in the next chapter. Always, if you liked this chapter, review! And if you don't, well, give constructive criticism. Private Message me if you got any question and queries pertaining to the story and I will answer to be the best of my ability depending on the nature of the question. p

Till next time

legacyZero


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: Don't own anything, except for the meager and non-canon plot elements introduced.

A/N: This is arguably one of the more '_writer's block'_ inducing chapters that I have written for this story. Not really proud of this chapter either…but meh, it's an interlude. Enjoy!

* * *

"…_And so, at the height of the decades-old anarchy, with last of the former shinobi clans either displaced, exiled or destroyed, the land was carved up into the various powerbases of nobility, each one vying to unite the central lands under one banner. And even though the shinobi would be granted a reemergence in the coming years, this was not their time. It was perhaps the last and only time where Lords and Knights fought for a gallant cause. _

"_I hold freedom and death in my right hand, servitude and life in the other. What say you?" asked Suou Tamaki to the Shodaime of Konohagakure. No sane man would try to threaten a shinobi lord in his own territory in those times nor would they do so in the present. But this was no ordinary man. And lo, this man was daimyo of the 13__th__ province of the central plains, soon to become the linchpin to the formation of the Country of Fire. _

_The difference in leverage was obvious; he commanded an army that would yield to no living force that existed then, crushing the insurgency of the Northwestern Provinces with little effort. Konoha then was but a small village, recently forged together by its bloodline clans through circumstance and mutual benefit. _

_The Shodaime was silent. The daimyo was patient. Both knew how much was at stake here. Civil war had been rife for nearly a full century with little to show for it. Ninja and samurai castes butchered each other without qualms only to be crippled by opportunists waiting as they exhausted their strength. On one hand, Konoha was the last semblance of shinobi strength within the fractious land, the last surviving clans of ninja having merged into a single entity. On the other, Suou Tamaki and his legion were perhaps the first real hope to establishing a centralized government needed to bring the rest of the central lands out of the blighted existence it was trapped in for ten decades. _

"_I'll not accept either one, but instead take both. I take freedom for my own, in exchange for granting death upon your enemies. My life and that of my village will be yours for but simple compensation." _

_The first Lord of Fire laughed a throaty laugh, the first one ever to come from the boy who became a warrior-lord since his ascendancy and history saw the birth of a nation state..." _- Extract from '_The History of Fire_', a tome chronicling the formation of the state of Fire.

* * *

"_The Three Ninja of Konoha were known, among other things, for their talents in the shinobi world. Despite being the most famous among all of their contemporaries, the mastery of combat was not theirs to call their own. Though their combat prowess was nothing to scoff at either, they were not as ferocious as the Nine of the Mist, brutal as the Twin sons of Stone nor experienced as the Four Heavenly Lords of Cloud. It was their individual achievements and contribution to the understanding of chakra that brought them the fame and infamy that they now enjoy._

_It was once said that chakra was the source of untapped power hidden deep within the fragile frames of men which made legends out of mortals. Such was demonstrated by the First Kages of the Shinobi Countries and the First Founding Wars. _

_The first shinobi lords were famed for their ability to utterly destroy. All of them could move mountains and shift seas, and some did during the course of their illustrious lives. However, not of them achieved the secret of longevity. _

_And that was where the Legendary Three came in. _

_They were legendary for their supposed immortality in combat. And Immortality, was something each one of them achieved. _

_Lady Tsunade could not be slain upon the field of battle, relying upon her extensive research into cell regeneration to heal otherwise fatal wounds on her person. This was demonstrated in recent times at the last siege of Konoha in the 34__th__ year of the snake by the Allied Coalition between Rock and Cloud during the 5__th__ Great Shinobi War. _

_Orochimaru devised a system in which one could live forever, albeit a flawed one. Despite the stringent requirements a new host/body needed to pass, the strain on soul for artificial transmigration proved ultimately fatal. _

_It is not recorded in known history however, that Lord Jiraiya was perhaps the most successful in achieving immortality. In a cosmic irony of things, he did it without the intention of even doing so. Though he had more valid reasons for pursuing longevity, (suffering from an extensive list of battle fatigue being untreatable, ranging (and not limited to) from weakened bones to frequent vein ruptures) he had not done so, opting to delve into matters bordering on pure sorcery in its complexity. _

_How he had achieved this we do not know. But what rumors that have been spread reveals that a particular incident involving time and spatial disturbances. Unfortunately as Lord Jiraiya is certainly not available for comment on the matter (The hermit having disappeared from public view with the publication his final volume of his popular 'Icha Icha' series), it would remain a secret. Perhaps forever…" _Excerpt from 'The Hidden Lords of Elements', written and compiled by numerous historians.

* * *

The Savant 

Written by legacyzero

* * *

Yamanaka Ino was known to be loud, and generally demanding of all those around her. Her father coddled her, spoiling her with gifts when given the opportunity. However, she was smart for her age, sensibly never pressing for what she could not have. Of course, she did not want her father to give her the unattainable. No, that was where Sasuke-kun came in. Dark, devilishly handsome, rich, he was all that she dreamed of to be 'The One'. What she truly wanted was to be cherished by the 'The One', who would shower lavish gifts upon her as it was natural to do so. Ino was sure that in time, Sasuke would come to see her charm and then... 

"Ino!"

Reality descended upon her like a bucket of cold water as a clammy hand covered her mouth, forcing her head down to the earth. It took here a moment to realize who the hand belonged to.

A scrawny, if not seriously deprived boy named Shikamaru. Who also happened to be a childhood friend of hers.

Ino could not believe the gall of him! She wanted to rail at him, shout out her grievances at being manhandled like a piece of meat. Honestly! Was he without his manners? Did the pressure of this entire exam finally made the boy snap? It was a question that she had no answer to. Just as she was about to voice out her abuse, a loud shrill broke out from somewhere, almost making her jump in surprise. Just as she was about to ask the boy next to her what that was all about, a loud distinctively human sneer made her pause.

"So…why did you drag us here again?" A muffled voice spoke nearby to her left. She prayed to whatever deity that might hear her that they did not find her. "We got to find that Uchiha, not prance around trying to scare mutated rabbits. Orochimaru-sama needs us to…dispose of him."

"Yeah, yeah, don't remind me…I thought I heard something…" A voice mumbled sulkily.

A snort came next, it sounded feminine despite the crudeness of the act. "Don't delude yourself, Zaku. You can't even hear what we say, much less use that pile of mush you call a brain to think."

"What was that?!" An angry shout retorted, wounded ego clearly echoing in it.

The noise and the chatter eventually moved off and she felt the offending hand removing itself from her mouth. As soon as she was free from his grip, she turned to glare furiously at the boy responsible for her mild discomfort.

"What was that about?!" She hissed. Despite her knowing that he was well within his right to inflict upon her that indignity, Ino found it easier to take it out on him than accept it. "You should have been a little gentler, my neck almost broke, you know."

He didn't respond, eyes staring at something beyond the foliage they were using as cover.

Ino felt annoyance rise within her chest.

She knew she shouldn't have let it get better of her.

"Hey, look at me."

At this, he responded, turning his head to face her. It was then she noticed something different about him. Whatever she wanted to say died when she saw what was in his eyes, or lack of therefore. His eyes were void with nothing discernable and yet full of clarity that was all but absent from all the other times she glanced looked at him in the eye. They were eyes that she would not associate with warm familiarity.

"What are you doing?" She hissed, quite literally at him, "You haven't said a goddamn word since we entered this hellhole-"

"Hush. Be quiet." He said quite easily. It was a nonchalant voice, not unlike the one she often heard but there was an inherent wrongness with it that she could not identify exactly.

A shrill scream pierced through the woods, forcing her to recover her bearings from the shock. The boy, she noted, seemed unalarmed. Ino spared a glance at her other team mate. Chouji had looked no less calm than he was normally. How he was keeping his nerves, she did not know. He spoke up, interrupting the silence as he did periodically ever since entering the blighted labyrinth of trees. "Ne, I think we should move."

Ino suddenly jerked, as if realizing something, eyes in fervent worry, "We got to find Sasuke-kun!" She harped, "Those freaks were talking about finding him!"

Shikamaru looked as if he just swallowed a lemon or two. The look went unnoticed by Ino, who was preoccupied with her perceived notions.

"Give me one reason _why_." The boy half-spat, half hissed. At this, Ino paused for a moment, trying to think up of any reason to justify the effort. Not that she needed one, the action in itself was reason enough, but she needed something to pacify her obviously irate team member.

"We are _Konoha shinobi_. We don't abandon our own." She said as if it was natural to do so.

At her answer, Shikamaru turned away, his back facing her. He was silent for awhile. "Alright, we will track down Uchiha. I won't guarantee finding him though." He then moved off, leaving Ino with the silent Chouji.

"What's his problem, anyway?" She huffed, moving off to follow the boy.

If Ino was more observant, she would have noticed a crow of the purest black, eyeing her beadily from its perch.

( I I I )

Akimichi Chouji was a sensible person. He always was. Well maybe when it did not concern the glorious and profane art of culinary affairs. Still, he would argue that it was, in his opinion, a minor failing on his part, citing hereditary reasons.

And all that he could say at the moment was that, Ino was being stubbornly selfish. While he did not concern himself with the seemingly infinite amount of fanaticism that Ino displayed concerning the top student of their former class, he did however disapprove of how much she was reacting in regards to the whole situation.

Did she not notice how much Shikamaru was trying not to get them all killed?

Of course not, he realized with just a tiny smudge of annoyance, she was too obsessed with Uchiha Sasuke.

And people called him single-minded.

Now, he did not have anything against the Uchiha, but having to endure Ino's rants about how much 'Sasuke-kun' would be better to have in the team rather than them, her friends since ever, months prior had made him a little less amused whenever the words 'Uchiha' and 'Sasuke' popped into any conversation with Ino. Shikamaru always seemed to tolerate the thinly guised criticism and constant comparison between him and the Uchiha, allowing their female companion to have free reign on how long and insulting her comparable analysis of why Uchiha Sasuke was worth the world to her. Now, it seemed that his nerves were on the breaking point, and Ino showed no intention of letting up on her attitude.

The crow that he observed on the tree branch was distressing as well. Shikamaru had only hinted at what his bloodline endowed him with, apart from the manipulation of shadows. He did not know if the crow was part of that, but Chouji knew better than to question the evidence before him, even if he was not sure. Black crows did not just appear out of thin air after all. Details aside, all he knew was that it would not bode well for his friend to expand on the use of his bloodline anymore than it already has.

The question was not how much further would Shikamaru have to push himself, but rather, how much more before Ino would wake up; her sudden desire of playing the 'Charming heroine' while being unfortunately ignorant of their situation was but one of the stupider things that Ino done, he had to confess.

As much as he would hate to admit it, and as far as they were concerned, Uchiha Sasuke was probably not the one needing help. Sometimes, he thought as he watched Ino move with relative ease, it was good to have delusions. It kept the truth of reality from keeping you frozen in place.

( I I I )

Even though the Sound Village within the forests of the Rice Country were suitably thick and difficult to navigate, this…'Forest of Death' was quickly becoming a second contender for being a complete and utter wasteland of comparable quality.

The company that she had was not doing much to make things better either.

"Where are they?!" A loud, cocky voice "I'm getting bored. You sure they came this way?"

Why in the name of the gods, did she end up with him?

"Zaku, stop f-king complaining." The girl, Kin, growled at her compatriot. "That was all you did ever since we entered the damn forest." Zaku, ever the crass unrefined ruffian that he was, gave her a dirty look.

"Yeah, well, at least, I tried to do something unlike you trying to look pretty."

Kin, who took offense whenever the other boy spoke crudely (which meant always), looked like she got smacked in the face with a fish.

The third of their mismatched group was not amused in the least, "You found bunnies, Zaku…mutated bunnies for that matter, _mating_. I too have doubts about your abilities, Zaku."

"What?" Zaku turned to the heavily covered up boy, "Blaming me for the crappy environment now eh?"

The reply was almost instant. "What do you think, _mush-for-brains_?"

And thus, the general order of things went down from there.

It was true what they said, empty vessels made the most noise.

( I I I )

She came from a clan famed for their natural ability to adapt, no matter how adverse conditions were. As such, her parents, and their parents before them were excellent warriors and shinobi. However, it was in that strict sense, she had deviated from the norm. True shinobi used skill and guile; she used irresistible force and cunning. While she could hide and wait, she preferred not to, as it was not in her blood to do so.

Pixie and cheeky they would say, earning the smiles of some and the ire of others. She was a particularly bright child they would also agree upon, mischievous but bright nonetheless. When she was chosen to be _his _apprentice, she was apprehensive but excited all the same. Dreams and thoughts of what he could teach her were at the front of her mind. All that collapsed in the face of the first month of training, moving on steadily until _that_ day.

It was suffice to say that she managed to survive in spite of her bloodline than because of it. The reason was simply being that if her natural ability to adapt had come through that fateful day, she probably would not have survived anyway. Then again, it mattered little even if she did as she found to her dismay that she was also, for all intents and purposes, dead when she arrived worse for wear at the village gates. Of course, the ever benevolent Sandaime of Fire (she knew not to call him kind, for if one looked at the crucial difference between the two words, it would be a major err to call him _kind_.) had pardoned her, reinstated her into service despite the tremendous call for her to be lynched by the general public.

She was grateful to the old man, but not to the foaming masses of _dogs_ that demanded 'justice'. It was suffice to say, that she took 'liberties' occasionally enact 'justice' on these dogs. Non-lethal, of course, else she would get more than a disappointed look from the old man.

Her mark burned on the nape of her neck, forcing her to concentrate as she jumped from tree to tree.

Anko frowned, scowling and cursing under her tongue with every passing second.

Orochimaru was here. They had found the bodies of Grass genin outside of the village parameters, their faces gone, as if melted away. She had seen it once before, back when she was still his apprentice. The scene had left a bitter tang of familiarity in her mouth.

No matter how much she tried to ignore the burning hatred she had for the thing that she once called her sensei, she'd flare up every time someone mentioned that bastard of a snake.

It had been a few hours since then, but she knew that he was close. She prayed that should be strong enough to right past wrongs, and redeem herself for her sake.

( I I I )

It was at this point, Uchiha Sasuke, prayed for help. No matter how uncharacteristic it seemed of him. The medical arena was just not suited for him.

Sasuke had carried the girl a fair distance from 'ground zero' but he had little idea as to how to deal the with the ailment ridden girl. Despite the soldier pill infusion he had taken earlier, he was exhausted from the fight and his injuries. He was not really in a good shape to begin with if he were to state the obvious.

A sudden moan from the girl alerted him that she was semi-conscious though to what extent he wasn't sure. He glanced at Sakura; her face was still pallid and feverish with sweat rolling down in beads.

All in all, the situation looked quite bad indeed.

Mentally, he decided to weight his options. If Sakura died here and now, Sasuke knew that it meant instant forfeiture of the entire exam. It was imperative that it will not happen. He could _not_ afford to be impeded because of one minor technicality. There were many privileges that a Chuunin gained, particularly in the ways of jutsu. That said, he could not afford to lose this chance. Not now, not for anybody. Naruto was gone, but he had more faith in the blonde's ability to stay alive than that of the girl in front of him, who was busy looking so frail and weak.

It had occurred to him not too long ago, that the achievement of his goal was directly tied to a certain Haruno Sakura.

Sasuke began to scowl.

A little portion added that even if he did not care for the girl, it was not as if he wanted her to die. There was a difference between apathy and being deliberately responsible for the death of someone.

Still, his main priorities took precedence than whatever feeble remains of morality that he may have left in his soul.

Deciding to follow what little he knew of field aid, Sasuke popped a few soldier pills into her mouth from the bottle given by Naruto. It was a basic technique in keeping obviously ill shinobi better until they could receive attention. However, within minutes of ingesting the pills, Sakura began to convulse.

Uh oh.

Immediately, he activated his Sharingan, allowing him to see the flow of charka at the uppermost surface of the body. Normally, as they were taught in their lessons, chakra flowed smoothly. Sakura's flow was erratic, each thread vanishing or appealing without whim or reason. Whatever the strange chakra was doing, he was sure that Sakura wasn't going to enjoy it.

It was at this point in time, that he figured, in his mind at least, that Naruto's expertise would be very welcome at the moment. As if to add insult to injury, it took another moment before one of Sakura's flailing arms struck him in the face.

( I I I )

When he finally awoke from the realm of the unconscious, Naruto felt the distinct urge to not move. Operating against this irrational instinct soon rewarded him with a jolt of pain.

Pain, he noted, was an exquisite feeling.

It wasn't that he enjoyed the sensation, but it was something that anchored him down to life, reminding him that his mind and body were still one. All in all, he was fairly certain that he, of all people, shouldn't be contemplating the merits of feeling bone-rending pain. Carefully getting up, he began to examine his surroundings. His memories of what had transpired were fuzzy, to say the least…but his mind told him that something was missing.

He could feel his heart beating steadily, almost rhythmically perfect in the silence.

_Thump_.

_Thump_.

Naruto could feel that something was…off. His heart rate began to increase for no apparent reason, and sweat began to form on his brow.

_Thump_.

He could feel a draconic presence within him, lurking…waiting. It was the very same one that he felt just as he began the first seals of the jutsu he used. Like that time on the bridge, it stirred within him, fuelling him, giving him strength as he faltered on the brink. The feeling had faded then, withdrawing into him as imminent danger vanished. But now it rose within him again, this time becoming much stronger. Pressure not like that of combat was beginning to press upon his chest as he felt a sudden urge to break _something_. And just as it was about to get more intense, a familiar sensation of being filled him, striking out at the alien presence with the fury of a cornered animal. It was odd though, to feel two completely different entities fighting for dominance within him.

It was not a good feeling, he eventually decided.

He experimented with the forbidden jutsu before; it was just that he did not know the exact specifics apart from its use.

When the jutsu collided with his obscenely omnipotent opponent, it did something to both of them, apart from transporting them randomly. He was still in the Forest of Death as far as a he could tell. Naruto had doubts that his strange opponent would be finding him or them any time soon. The oppressive pressure that existed during the fight had all but vanished leaving behind only the residue effects of the forest. He did not know what the effects were on his body in the long run but it seemed that only his arm was affected.

The response within his arm seemed to have slowed, moving sluggishly. He frowned; he did not know whether it was due to his injury or an entirely different side effect. Regardless, as long as he could feel the flow of chakra within his arm, that was good enough.

The first thing he needed to do now was to simply find his wayward team mates.

Even if it seemed to be daunting task at the moment.

Doing the most logical thing, Naruto began to move as silently as he could, clutching his ruined arm with his left.

( I I I )

Time passed without his knowledge, not that he would have noticed in the first place. This, he thought, was not what he envisaged himself doing when he applied for the Chuunin Exams. Feeling useless was not a feeling that Sasuke enjoyed. In fact, it was something he had repressed within himself ever since…that day.

Ack, his cheek still smarted. He began cursing loudly. Who knew Haruno had such strength within her even as she looked like the living dead?

The girl before him was still comatose, with a grunt or moan of pain every few minutes or so. The convulsions that the girl experienced before had stopped, though her skin had retained its sickly pallor. He had to admit to himself though, giving her the soldier pill was not one of his brightest ideas. The few times he had rejected basic medic training was haunting him now, especially since his fast-track to power currently relied directly upon the health of his team-mate.

Still, it was the combat arts that he preferred. His hated brother was not going to die because Sasuke drugged him. A possibility though, nonetheless, but it seemed far-fletched that he would possess enough patience to learn the subtle art of poison _and_ find the rare opportunity to do the deed.

Sasuke was literally stumped when the girl began to have dark blemishes spread across her body, though how far, he did not know as it spread beneath her clothing. He did not want to check either way. But he was sure that all of it was originating from the puncture wounds along the nape of her neck.

A sudden rustle in bushes made him swivel around, his tanto instantly in his hands. He saw Naruto, standing with a slight limp with him clutching his left right. As much as he would have welcomed the sight, he knew that the 'Naruto' before him may be a foe.

"What did you give me before?" He asked suspiciously.

"I gave you a bottle of soldier pills to keep; Sakura mentioned that they were far too icky…for her liking."

"Alright then, about time you found us," Sasuke said smugly, keeping his tanto back into its sheath, "I was beginning to think that you were dead." Naruto acknowledged a nod before looking at Sakura. The dark blemishes were still on her.

"What happened to her?" He asked. Naruto seemed unconcerned, but the look on his face told Sasuke otherwise.

"I don't know," He shrugged, "was hoping that you could fix it." Nodding, Naruto began to move towards the girl, before starting his examination in earnest.

Unnerved about the silence, Sasuke began to speak, "So, how did you manage to find us?"

"I followed the sounds of complaints."

Sasuke blinked, the absurdity of the blonde's words stunned him.

Silence ensured before the Uchiha found himself asking.

"…did you just make a joke?"

( I I I )

It wasn't long before they started moving again.

Because Time was messed up within the forest, they were not really sure of how much time they had spent being idle.

Looming in the distance, they caught sight of the tower where they were supposed to enter. But to all that were within the Chuunin Exam, it was a welcome sight. Naruto could not carry Sakura's dead weight due to his injuries which left the Uchiha to provide the service of human transport.

Even with his skill in medicine, Naruto was unable to identify what was exactly plaguing their team-mate. However, he was more successful than the Uchiha in administering a dosage to stall the effects of…whatever that was affecting Sakura.

It was then, that things started to get a little interesting when Naruto's self preservation reacted subconsciously.

Jumping to avoid the projectile with some difficultly, Naruto immediately performed seals, bellowing out a hot stream of flame at the trees above.

"We found ya, Uchiha Sasuke!" A trio of ninja appeared before them. Sasuke saw that they bore the emblem of the Sound, "Time to bring your dead charred ass back to Orochimaru-sama!"

Sasuke looked annoyed at them. "I'm the only one that matters right?"

"Yeah, though I don't particularly care whether that _cripple_," One of them jerked a hand at Naruto, "Or the dead-weight joins the fight. They will be dead soon enough."

"Alright. Fair terms, I suppose." He glanced at Naruto who nodded, "You go with Haruno." Sasuke gestured towards the tower, before passing the girl to the other boy. They quickly vanished from sight, earning the surprised looks from all except Sasuke.

Naruto wasn't worthy of being his rival for nothing, after all.

Sasuke smirked, before dropping down into his favored _taijutsu_ stance, Phoenix Rising. The change of his eyes from coal black to bright crimson was all that signaled yet another fight for survival within the Forest of Death.

"Let us play."

* * *

A/N: Ubeta-ed, as usual. Will update and correct errors at the earliest opportunity. Reading and Reviewing is appreciated, if only to boost my already inflated ego. Constructive criticism and thought-out reviews are equally welcome. Well, that's it. 

General FAQ time now (Because I'm too lazy at the moment to write it down in paragraph format) :

**Q: Took you damn long to update?! Why?!**

A: School for starters, a big fat writer's block, along with the realization that most of the 'cool' stuff that I have planned out are quite far away in the later chapters. If any readers are wondering about my other works (Blades & Blood comes into mind), it is not abandoned but as I mentioned, the circumstances are preventing me to do significant work on them.

**Q: About the soul thingy, what the heck is it all about? **

A: Well for starters, you will find out more in the later chapters. Let's just say that it has provided…possibilities for our clueless hero. Again, plot element.

**Q: I want ???xNaruto! Stories suck without a pairing!**

A: Again, I'm still considering the feasibility of introducing a pairing, given my adversity to writing such. That and I haven't thought that far ahead as to plan out any pairings at the moment. So far, the only one who may be getting 'any' is dear Shikamaru-kun. Still, I'm open to pairings…just not ones that take the limelight.

**Q: Why is your story omitting parts of the anime/manga? The scenes feel disjointed and poorly written!**

A: Argh! It may be noticeable (or not) to you, but based on my own observation, this 'chapter' seemed like a filler to me, in both enjoyment and creativity (or lack of therefore). Being in a funk sucks. Well, I'm also operating on the assumption that most readers are already familiar with the setting and general story, no point elaborating the whole thing when most of it is dead plain boring or inconsistent with the character 'profile' already built up. Still, I had a bit of fun writing up the last few touches in this chapter. In particular, Sasuke's well-deserved punch.

**Q: Will ??? be apprenticed to ??? just like in canon?**

A: Good question, some of the principal characters I leave unchanged but I will be severely be tweaking the relationships between some of them too. Of course, if you have not skimmed through the front, you will notice that I dropped some hints about the old perverted hermit which may indicate story tweaking by yours sincerely. Some of these changes may be reflected in the 'excerpts in the front. The only real question for you guys are the moment is _who_ and by _how much_?

**Q: Can you update faster? You seem awfully slow compared to some OTHER authors in updating their awesomely long epic x-over fics (I'm looking at you, General Grievous :p) **

A: First off, as much as I would like to emulate god-like writing speed and thought processing, along with the utter elimination of inherent human need to procrastinate and exemption to the whims of moods, I'm human with individual limitations and strengths.

**Q: I got a question/you haven't answered my question yet!**

A: Err, if I didn't get back to you, just send me a PM about it and I will get back to you pronto. I tend to be a little bit forgetful. Especially when sleep or some other activity distracts me from providing you all with a reply.

**And so I bid thee adieu till next time **

legacyZero


	15. Chapter 15

Pre-chapter notes: Before anything else, I would like to say that I'm sorry for the delay, but life is like that.

* * *

"Where are we?" He asked, only mildly curious about his surroundings and no more. He had more important things to do, like cloud watching for example. His mother had started to demand of him chores which were, unsurprisingly, chores for him to do, in both meanings of the verb. Not surprisingly, he found himself wishing to lie down, back rested upon the soft grass of his birth land, staring at the azure sky and ivory shapes that dotted across it. It was soon becoming a favorite past time for him. 

The lean man did not answer his son, opting instead to face the child.

A young Nara Shikamaru stood in front of his father, who as far as he was concerned, looking as if there was nothing out of the usual at all. Even at this age, he knew that their lands were devoid of people, with deer being the only visible form of life across the acres of wood. The woods themselves were silent as it should be, being the grounds entrusted to their bloodline generations ago, by the first lords of the land preceding even the founding of Fire.

His father looked contemplative for but a second, a look that Shikamaru had never seen flicker across his features.

"Today," His sire began, "I'll instruct you in the ways of the Nara, just as my father had done for me as his father before him."

Though young, Shikamaru had a faint sense of the importance of this…ritual. Traditions, or at least traditions of discipline, were the hallmarks of a clan, none so prominently shown to the world than the Hyuuga. Others, like his, tended to shift to the sidelines. Shikamaru had no qualms with that, he'd rather let others take the spotlight.

It was too troublesome, after all.

"We are not the Huyyga, whose skills match their ever-burgeoning arrogance. We are not the Uchiha, rebels of fate and yet bound to the very same traditions that they scorned. We are not the Aburame, sacrificing their very bodies for the greater good. We are not these things, my son. We are, above all else, a people dedicated to our fief; to the woods of this land. Nothing in this world is more important than these woods. Not the village, not the Hokage, not even us."

Shikamaru continued to sit quietly a tree stump, listening intently, latching on to every single word. His father's words were a contradiction to the academy teachings, though it still uncomfortably sounded like a lecture. It was lecturing that Shikamaru felt that he did not need to hear.

"_Above all, a shinobi places the prosperity of his village first, and his loyalty to his Hokage second."_

"Then why are we shinobi in the first place, if that is so?" He asked, the answer eluding his seven year old mind.

His father chuckled, "Read beneath the underneath, my son. Is that not the rule of we_shinobi_?"

At this, Shikamaru could not help but look chastened.

His father chuckled at his look, "No matter, we are nothing but opportunists. Becoming shinobi has dual benefits. You see, Konoha was founded near our fief, and shinobi themselves have always been known for being…supernatural. What would one more odd shinobi clan do incite investigation? Nothing."

"Now, along with our duties, we've have been given powers, ones that others may call our bloodline. Our _jutsu_ is commonly believed to be our bloodline but you should know that this is not the case."

"If that is not our bloodline, then what is?"

He gave the boy a small smile for his question. "That is what I'll be showing you next."

Promptly, Nara Shikaku placed two fingers to his mouth, before blowing a low-pitched whistle that seemed to echo throughout the surrounding foliage.

He watched as his father wait patiently for a sign, for something to happen.

He did not need to wait long.

There was a sudden prick on his skin, as if the air electrified itself. A heavy presence had solidified the tranquil air into something utterly menacing. Somehow, it felt familiar to the deepest depths of his soul, as if through a connection too ancient and compassing to be bound by the shackles of human logic and reason.

From within the depths of their guarded woods, it stepped forth, its form still shrouded by the shadows that spawned it. To the eyes of anyone else, they would only see the faint rustling of leaves, but to Shikarmaru, and the blood that flows within his veins, he could literally feel that it was there. Human senses had failed him, he knew, and all that allowed him to see was something that defied the rationale of the human mind.

As if sensing his apprehension, his father placed caroused hands on his small shoulders, in a sign of reassurance.

"This," The black manifestation trotted towards him in a painfully slow manner, "is a familiar, to use the closest term." He gestured toward it. "This is the manifestation of our blood line and birth right." Shikamaru watched as the thing of corporeal shadow stop and evaluate him. "It does not have a name, and nor should it have one. This creature is as part of me as I am to it."

His voice grew quiet. "It's purpose and existence is varied. It can amplify your power, bring insight when none could be found, or be a guide when all paths are closed to you."

"…I see." His father's murmured mutterings were vague, something which sparked annoyance in his mind. But the boy could only utter those two unceremonious words as his mind whirled in thought. "I guess that I have one as well?" As much as the…thing repulsed him, Shikamaru found himself all the more attracted to it. The irony of this was not loss onto him even at this age.

His father frowned at his question. "It is not a matter of having one or not, but whether you have the will necessary to create one in your image. Above all else, it is your desire to create it that determines a familiar."

"So, am I going to get my familiar today?" Shikamaru asked, feeling a tad bit exasperated at the rather long-about way his father was taking.

"You seem to forget that everything in this world comes at a price, whether you realize it or not. This is no exception. The cost varies from person to person, and the fact that not one Nara has paid the same price, is a testament to that. Despite all differences, there is one thing generally agreed upon. The familiar _changes_ you, not necessarily for the better. And it is the only reason that I ask that you only summon it when you do need it."

Shikamaru remained silent, only to turn his eyes from the ground to his father. "So what made you to summon it in the first place?"

The man merely gave him a wry grin, before replying. "You mother, but she doesn't know that."

"…I see." Shikamaru did not have anything else to say to that, "Then what did you lose?"

At this, his father laughed, "That would be telling now, isn't it? Besides, we all have our own little secrets to keep. This is one of them." He reached into his pocket for something.

"Remember one thing, Shikamaru," His father said, as a scroll dropped into his small hands, "the moment you summon your familiar, you'll be changed forever."

"This is…?" The boy gestured towards the rather plain scroll now in his hands. It bore no indication to its contents, with only tiny scrap of seal paper acting as a deterrent for unauthorized use.

"It will teach you how to summon it when the time comes, but…" The older Nara trailed off, "I suggest you do at least read it first."

He remembered, years since that day, keeping it at bay within his heart and mind.

* * *

The Savant 

Written by legacyzero

* * *

( I I I )

The fight, as it carried on, was not exactly in his favor. Despite his belief in his skills, the Sound trio had proved surprisingly…_adept_ in avoiding a majority of critical blows from his jutsu and fists. He was not ready to admit that, once again, he miscalculated his odds.

Still, in his experience, being in such situations had only served to leave him stronger for it. After all, that which did not kill you only made you stronger. It was a core truth in the world and he abided by that principle for as long as he could remember and he was not about to betray that principle by _dying_.

A second blusterous sound of disgorged air quickly galvanized him into moving.

A third air blast came towards him at breakneck speeds, only to miss its mark. The boy with the arm nozzles was deemed by him to be the most threatening of the trio, mostly due to his annoying long range capability.

Going through the seals for a fire technique, Sasuke positioned himself directly in front of the other ninja. "Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu!"

"Zakuuha!"

Sasuke smirked as the blast of compressed air met his fireball head on. The fireball only grew larger as it consumed the gale of air it received. Air only served to feed the flame; it was the most basic rule of black-smithing, so it was not surprising at all. However, his look of confidence turned to one of confusion as it died down to nothingness. It only took a second before he was sent flying by Dosu, the larger boy who had snuck up on him while his attention was shifted onto his teammate.

Damn, he was going to die. He didn't want to die now, not when he hadn't done what he swore to do. He did not need to see himself to know how weak he was at that moment. He tried to move his body, which awarded him with a jolt of undulated pain. How pitiful, he thought bitterly. Watching as the Sound-nin level his arm towards his face, Sasuke prepared for the overwhelming pressure that was to be ejected from the arm nozzles of his opponent.

Of course, the last thing he expected to see was a lighting quick blur of viridian green. It was a shade which seemed vaguely familiar to him. A moment later, a boy in olive green appeared in front of him. It took Sasuke a moment to realize that it was his opponent prior to the start of the Chuunin Exam, the green latex-clad eccentric Rock Lee.

"Sasuke-kun, are you alright?" he asked in a voice that seemed to be brimming with uncontained energy.

Sasuke gave a low grunt in reply, accepting the offered hand of support. It was surprisingly firm, and oddly enough, it brought him a sense of ease.

The Green Beast of Konoha showed off his pearly whites, "I figured you needed a hand."

The Uchiha gave the other boy a questioning look before focusing on his opponents.

He still had a fight to finish.

( I I I )

It did not take long before Naruto had arrived with Sakura in tow at the tower. His first priority was to get Sakura to safety. Sasuke could perfectly take care of himself. At the gate to the tower, he was stopped by two examiners, who began to frown at him. Naruto took this with impassivity.

"Where is your other teammate?" asked the first one, a man who reminded Naruto of the various villagers that regarded him coldly.

The boy pointedly ignored the question. "My teammate here," Naruto gestured to the girl in his arms, "requires medical aid."

The examiner look annoyed, but he glanced at the girl, before giving the blonde a questioning look. "She looks fine to me. Not a scratch on her. You're going to fail if your team is missing a member." The blonde was about to respond when a hand gripped his shoulder. He flinched at the sudden contact.

"Oh, looks like you made it just ok…" A familiar voice spoke.

"Hatake-san!" The examiners turned to the new arrival with something akin to respect and annoyance. Though annoyance for what, Naruto did not know.

"Don't worry, I will handle this." He said with a wave of his hand, "Go tend to the other team that arrived." True to his words, there was another team who had arrived. Naruto squinted, realizing that Sasuke was among them, with the teammates of Rock Lee who had challenged the Uchiha earlier. The two proctors both gave a deferential nod before vanishing in a wisp of smoke.

Kakashi blinked, suddenly very interested in the boy's injured arm. "What happened to your arm? Doesn't look like anything I'm familiar with." The boy glanced at the arm in question, now noticing for the first time, how bad it seemed. Blood now freely flowed from his hand, the stream origination from the sleeve of his orange jump-suit. His entire arm felt sluggish, and it hurt when it moved. Naruto judged that he would not be using it in the near future lest he wanted to wound up with more complications.

"Want me to patch it up?" The Jounin suggested, noticing the pained expression on the blonde's face. Naruto gave his Jounin-sensei a piercing look who in turn, looked abashed; he had not forgotten who the better physician of the two was.

Kakashi rubbed his chin, "Let me guess…you guys got attacked by a fiendishly powerful foe, and in the process of fending him off, Sakura here got afflicted with something nasty?" He finished, "Am I correct?"

A nod was his reply.

"I see," The copy ninja said simply before sighing into his mask, "Well, don't worry about Sakura. The Med-nins will take care of her."

Uchiha Sasuke appeared in a whirl, from the direction of Gai's team, looking a little worse for wear. "Do we need her to qualify?" It was more of a statement than a question, but questioning tone of his voice made it seem like both.

"Don't worry about it. You've made it to the tower as a team regardless of what the examiners say otherwise. They just want to eliminate as much teams as possible seeing that there is an increase in successes this year."

He saw more shadows that fritted within the cover that the forest surroundings had provided, noting that they did not need that much manpower to restrain or otherwise incapacitate tired Genin. He handed the girl over to Kakashi.

"I leave her in your capable hands, sensei."

The man nodded, waving a hand as he propped the girl in his arms, "You guys best get going, I would hate to see the both of you disqualified for loitering, of all things."

And then, in a blink of an eye, he was gone.

( I I I )

The search for the Uchiha at Ino's request ended in futility. But it was not without its rewards. At first, they had stumbled onto a battle royale between a few of the foreign teams that managed to pass the first portion of the exam, causing them to hide while the nearby landscape became littered with minor craters and wooden debris.

For some odd reason or the other, the combatants never noticed Team Ten, despite being clearly several leagues ahead of them. The amount of threat and malice in the air was enough to cause the trio to freeze in fear.

Correction, _they_, not he. The word no longer had any meaning to him.

"Alright! We got the Earth scroll." Ino gushed in relief. "Let's head towards the Tower that creepy examiner mentioned earlier." As shocking as it was, in the lulling aftermath of that three way match, in their haste to retreat and reconsolidate their strength, one of the teams had dropped their scroll. And as luck would have it, it happened to be the Earth scroll, the one which they needed.

When he first entered the Forest of Death, he was overwhelmed, to say it mildly. He did not want to die, nor did he want Ino or Chouji to die. In a scale of simple mathematics, the weight those factors combined against a part of him was simple. It was a needed sacrifice in order to survive. His father had warned him of the ritual, of its hidden and unknowable cost. He did not care; he had done it for the greater good, after all.

Now, he found himself unable to care, even if he tried.

It was a horrifying thought. Of course, 'Was' _was_ being the operative word.

He realized that he should be frightened that his lack of concern but any kind of emotion was denied to him, like a river blocked by one of those rivers dams he saw in a picture book once.

It was now his burden to bear.

He looked up at the branch above him, at the crow that perched itself on it. Beady eyes regarded him, before it gave a deep alien squawk.

"Shut up, bird." He muttered, before moving on.

( I I I )

Hyuuga Hinata was never so grateful to the fact that she knew a bit of first-aid than now. First-aid was something that was taught sparingly by her clan, never going beyond the basics, for they felt it was beneath them. Of course, she naturally had an interest in it, seeing it as a useful skill than even that of her bloodline.

Her team, despite the odds, had made it, reaching the tower before the time limit was up. It went without saying that it was not without its price. Kiba, her fellow team-mate for several months now, had taken a blow to the stomach meant for her. At the present, they were resting or tending to their wounds, like most of the other teams who were already occupying their own spots on the ground level. She noticed that all the teams from her class were present.

"Kiba-kun, does your wound still hurt?" she asked with concern, the stutter in her voice absent. It had been her fault that he was injured. If she wasn't so slow and clumsy, he would not have been injured at all. Her guilt seemed to have shone through her features as Kiba, suddenly puffed up his chest.

The feral boy, trying to put up a brave face, grinned tiredly, "Nah, its fine. And it's not your fault." The intended effect was lost when he winced as her hand lightly brushed across the wound. Hinata was not convinced, "You shouldn't force yourself, Kiba-kun…I'm so sorry."

The boy shook his head, "Again," his voice slurred with pain, "Wasn't your fault I got hurt, I put myself there willing, didn't I?"

"Yes," She said quietly, "Yes, you did."

"He knew what he was doing." Shino, who was silent the entire time, spoke up, "You could've died if that blow had hit you. And Inuzuka probably couldn't live with himself, if you had."

Kiba tried to protest, but he didn't argue with it. It was the truth.

There was a sudden silence and everyone looked up to see a old man who came up to the make-shift podium.

"Congratulations, Genin. You have done your villages proud to have come to the second phase of the exam." Many of the genin had a smug grin on their faces, however it soon feel as they heard the next words, "Unfortunately, there are too many of you to be accommodated for the third and final exam, so elimination of teams are in order now. You'll have thirty minutes of preparation time before we begin and explain the rules."

Looking at the stunned faces of his audience, the Third Hokage smiled thinly, "Let the preliminaries begin."

* * *

A/N: Unbeta-ed, yes. This is a short chapter in comparison to the earlier ones but I couldn't really continue it any longer due to lack of ideas to extend it. I hope my quality of writing hasn't gone totally slipshod just yet. 

Coupled with the fact that I'm quite long in my updates and that I'm still busy with school life, this chapter is the best I could come up with.

Think of it as an interlude. Of course, I have some minor alterations to the plot planned, which is to be revealed in the next chapter regarding the preliminaries; let's just say that it would not be the same canonically.

Read and review, and maybe, just maybe, I would update faster.

Till next time,

legacyZero


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: Don't own it.

* * *

"_In the history of all the land, there were none as mystical as those blessed by the elements. We call them Adepts: mortals who had been granted a startling proficiency to convert chakra into their blessed element. Adepts, however, were rare, accounting for no more than twenty percent of the shinobi population. Their occurrence within a clan that already had a heritable trait was very rarely seen._

_The more famous adepts to grace history were the co-leaders of the Hidden Village of Leaves. The Shodaime was gifted with the unique power over Nature, able to bring entire forests into existence with his will alone. The Nidaime was arguably the best user of Suiton techniques, famed for singlehandedly defeating the DaiMizukage _

_While stated before that inheritance of such an attribute was unheard of, the Uchiha Clan could be considered an exception to that rule, as entire clan had an affinity for fire almost as potent to that of any single Fire Adept. Of course, with the cataclysmic event known only as the Uchiha Massacre, the Uchiha, as a Noble Clan of the Land of Fire, were finished, dying in the annals of history as a caution towards human greed and arrogance._

_However, over time there have been many claims by various people that suggest that the elemental affinity of an Adept could be harnessed through the use of various Kami…"_

– Unknown scroll, Konoha Library

( I I I )

The Savant

By legacyZero

( I I I )

She awoke to one thing. But it wasn't as much an awakening as it was a quasi-translucent dream of nightmarish reality. Genjutsu had nothing on it. But then again, Genjutsu almost hurt equally as much when her mind was 'unlocked' and at its full potential. Almost. 

Pain. 

Burning pain. 

Oh gods above, it hurt so much. Through the pain, she heard the discordant mess of voices chattering incessantly all about her. 

"The seal pattern is particular, but the flow is like nothing I ever seen before…" 

"…use the Five-Lily Tiger seal to counteract the effects…" 

"Heart-beat is getting erratic, we're losing her!"

Another flare of pain erupted in her chest and she shuddered, a soundless scream escaping her mouth, her throat already raw. And then: nothing. 

( I I I )

After a short break, the teams assembled once more before the podium, where they were briefed on what the preliminaries would entail.

The whole affair was quite simple. The teams were randomly chosen to fight via a screen panel placed above the podium. Each team could participate in a team battle against another team or they could as a whole withdraw, taking into account the harrowing experience within the Forest of Death. Should a team win with one or more of their members unconscious, the members incapacitated were immediately disqualified.

Hinata and her team withdrew gracefully, helping their injured team mate walk towards one of the many corridors within the tower, presumably towards the medical area. Their Jounin-sensei, one Yuuhi Kurenai, looked somewhat disappointed but was glad for her team's safety. There was always another Chuunin Exam around the corner. Surprisingly enough, Aburame Shino, heir apparent to his clan, declined to put forward his nomination when he was given the opportunity. Their role in the exam was over.

Team Seven, sans one Haruno Sakura, did not withdraw, staying on despite their handicap. 

Team Ten also did not withdraw themselves. 

Team Nine, despite the expectatto most observers, did not either. 

Yakushi Kabuto, the overly friendly genin from leaf, withdrew himself, leaving his two stoic teammates to compete. The two did not express anything other than apathy as the silver-haired boy left. By now, one could withdraw from the exam without disqualifying their own team.

The remaining teams from the other villages (Sound, Sand and the Mist) did not withdraw, for it was custom in these villages to declare to their Genin teams that the disgrace of withdrawal from the exam was unacceptable upon pain of death.

Subaku no Gaara, stoic as ever, spoke up. "I would like to acquit myself from my team to compete independently. Trial by combat, in your words." 

The Examiner, a sickly man by the name of Gekkou Hayate, blinked owlishly. 

Of course, there was another aspect to the whole thing.

Teams, at that point, were made redundant for success. Even if two members of the three-man cell wished to withdraw, the remaining one could nominate himself for the preliminaries. In these special cases, the individual could face another in one-on-one combat, or they could specifically request that they take on another team alone, outnumbered three to one. 

It went without saying, that it was virtual suicide to do that. 

Of course, it only applied to normal circumstances. 

Gaarawas by no means normal.

"Subaku no Gaara, I presume?" The examiner rasped, before coughing harshly. Many among the Genin looked at the Examiner in disbelief, the concept of a sickly shinobi too farfetched for them to believe. 

"Yes," the boy hissed out. His expression was placid but the word he uttered was absolutely venomous. 

The man paused, before speaking, "Very well, wait for your turn then. The rest will go first." He turned to the rest of the semi-cluttered groups of Genin that were on the stadium floor. "Everyone, please proceed to the second floor. The preliminaries will start shortly." 

( I I I )

Perched on the second floor, an gathering was taking place. Small though this gathering was, but the participants were very much lively to be warranted to the status of 'large gathering', their exploits are repute well known in a village accustomed to secrets. Of course, like all gatherings, its members and their dispositions were varied, though they all shared one commonality: Konoha. 

Kakashi noticed that the other Jounin-sensei of the remaining teams were huddled with their own students. Not that he blamed them or wanted their company. After all, one does not suffer to consort with the enemy. 

And of course, he was not paying any attention to his surroundings, his mind focused on the teams that managed to advance to this stage of the exam. Normally, there would not be a preliminary (given the demanding nature of the second exam) but this year's batch, from all villages, proved to be a little more tenacious than their predecessors. 

His attention and sight found itself directed to his very own team. Naruto and Sasuke seemed unscathed for all intents and purposes, but Sasuke moved with a noticeable limp, and his arm had a tendency to clutch his side. Kakashi noted it down as an internal injury, but declined to take any action. For the time being, Naruto would serve as the resident 

medic. The Uchiha, suffice to say, had pride issues, though he had no qualms about getting help if he saw that it was indeed out of his league. As he thought this, he watched as the raven-haired boy talked to his teammate, who nodded at intervals. 

He proceeded to eye the remaining teams, immediately writing off the rest of the Konoha ones. He had a gut feeling that his team would not be pitted against fellow shinobi, along with the rest of the teams from Konoha. Instead, he focused on the trio from Sand, an odd bunch if he had anything to say. 

The girl with the large fan strapped to her back looked like she could, in theory, put half the female Genin kunoichi population to shame in terms of combat skills, though he knew that while there were some who did take to being a shinobi seriously, there were just as many, if not more, that, well, were not up to the cut. Sakura had been within those but, thankfully, she had begun to show her potential. 

The other member of the trio was a boy who, oddly enough, wore face paint and complete black. Briefly, Kakashi wondered if the heat had not gotten to his brain. Wearing complete black in a desert environment seemed to qualify for insanity. The second odd thing he found about the boy was that he carried a large bandaged lump on his back, much like the kunoichi who carried her fan. 

The last and third of the group was a strange individual whose name he had just found out via proxy of being in the vocal range when Hayate, poor sick Hayate, rasped it out. Sabaku no Gaara was the shortest amongst the three, and a bit frail-looking too, in his opinion. But the presence he carried around him was better fitted for a blood-lusting missing-nin than that of a Genin. Like the rest of his team, he too carried something on his back, though it was not something so obviously combat-related. It was a large gourd which was almost as big as him. And he carried it as if it was no burden. 

The most interesting part however was that he actually opted for trial by combat. It was an old custom for an aspiring shinobi in Konoha, as the method for recognition among the worthy of the title. Of course, for this preliminary, it had been modified to suit the…'non-lethal' nature of the Chuunin Exams. 

Moving his thoughts along, his eye landed upon the team from Sound. He saw little on their persons that would suggest anything odd about the three of them, for a group of Genin. 

The team from Mist, however, wore identical gear, with the standard breathing mask and dull grey ensemble. What he noticed strange among the three was the that all of them had a sort of smooth curve-like contraption covering most of their upper arms. It had a single dull gem at the centre with a rectangular hole at the hand-facing end. 

And that was what worried Kakashi. 

The shinobi in Mist were notorious for their use of limb-mounted weaponry, ranging from highly prized chakra infused contraptions to simple and efficient motorized tools, like that of the Demon Brothers of the Mist. It was common sight to see on Mist-nins, but what was _not_ common was the fact that the Genin in question possessed these tools; their rarity and difficulty of construction usually made them rather difficult to obtain save from direct inheritance, official issue or just plain procuring it via other means. 

From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a certain bowl-cut moving towards him. Thoughts of Mist-nins and their technology were pushed back to the depths of his mind, awaiting the opportunity to spring up once more. 

"Kakashi!" the green-clad man bellowed, not noticing the sudden weariness in the other man's posture. "Congratulations to your team on getting to the preliminaries!"

"Considering that only one of them is out of commission…I suppose so," the one-eyed Jounin said in response. "Your team didn't do badly either."

Gai just laughed. "Of course, my eternal rival!" He started to smile, teeth gleaming white. "That was precisely the reason why I waited a year! My condolences to that girl of yours." 

Kakashi just shrugged. Sakura was getting treatment from the med-nins, her condition not looking too good, but he pushed that thought back. He noticed that Naruto palmed something, a vial of sorts, to the Uchiha. "We got hunt teams scouring the forest now," He then dropped his voice to a whisper, "We have reason to believe that Orochimaru is around here." 

Asuma, who had been silent the whole time, spoke up. "You got to be joking. Why is the Hokage allowing this portion of the exam to continue then?" 

Kakashi shrugged again. "No idea." He eyed the overall surroundings, notingthe teams that were present. Remembering his bet with the red-eyed Jounin, he realized that Team 8 was not there. The implication of this was not lost on him. Feeling a small amount of glee, he filed that information away for future use.

Asuma, he noted, was wearing a pensive look. "This year seems different...they didn't use the traditional elimination methods," he noted. "And what's more, there are actually excess candidates for the third portion. That hasn't happened in a very long time."

Kakashi looked towards the screen, the characters on the electronic board moving erratically. 

"Maybe that's the reason why." Gai spoke up. "It is, after all, not common for us to hold a preliminary. Maybe the Hokage wants to look once more at the potential here."

'Maybe…though I think that the suspicion that Orochimaru is here is reason enough,' the silver-haired Jounin thought to himself. 

The screen flashed its last. 

Team 7 vs. Team Kiri. 

( I I I )

Sasuke repressed a look of annoyance. They were up first. As much as the thought abhorred him, he needed time for the effects of the medicine he got from Naruto to subside. The fight against the Sound-nins had left him battered internally. Not that anyone could see it…

…Except for that Hyuuga, who just smirked when his teammate, a girl named Tenten, asked Sasuke if he needed medical attention. Obviously, he had refused, opting to get treatment from his quasi-medic teammate. Weakness was something Sasuke did not like to show to others, and he'd rather show it to someone who had already seen him at his weakest. 

Looking on the bright side, at the very least, he did not have to wait long for his turn. He turned towards Naruto. "Anything I need to know?"

The stoic blonde knew what he was referring to: the side-effects of the liquid he had just imbibed. Naruto still looked onwards, towards the screen. 

"No usage of jutsu. No sharingan." 

The Uchiha stared at him. "_What_!" It was more of a statement than a question. 

Naruto had his back to the boy, despite sensing anger from the Uchiha. "Any use of chakra now will just cause your jutsu todie out and, at best, leave you unconscious." 

"And what is the worst case?" He growled, picking up on the implication. 

Naruto contemplated the question before replying. "At worst…" He paused, "You will die." 

The look in Sasuke's expression was absolute murder. "So you're telling me that you gave me something which, considering the current circumstances, will cause me to have a higher chance of dying anyway?" The blonde nodded. "_Thank you_," he spat. 

"You're welcome," Naruto replied impassively. "Your chakra system would have burned out at the slightest provocation in time, along with the nerves that carried it without my medicine."

The Uchiha's anger deflated a bit at the comment, but the situation was comparable to a rock and a hard place.

"Sasuke." 

His anger rekindled, Sasuke glared at the other boy. "What?"

"It would be wise of me to inform you that I have not recovered fully from the encounter before." 

The Uchiha frowned, surprised at the unexpected statement. Steeling and calming himself down, Sasuke said, "Then we'll just have to make do." 

"That we will," the blonde answered as he hopped over the railing. 

( I I I )

It did not take long for the combatants of the first match to gather below, where everyone on the second floor could see. It also did not take long for the two Genin of Team Seven to notice the cool apathetic eyes of their opponents. Naruto did not care much, but the Uchiha was clenching his fist in anticipation. 

"First match," the examiner coughed out, "begin." 

The first thing that caught Sasuke's notice was that all three rather similar Mist-nins lifted their arms upward, pointing their right arms where their rather distinctive contraptions were mounted on. 

Confusion marred Sasuke's face. Evidently, he had not expected that at all."What the—" He did not get to finish his exclamation before a stream of water jetted violently from each of the three contraptions on the Mist-nins, and continued to do so repeatedly. The once dull gems in their centers were now blazing azure. Barely dodging, Sasuke restrained a curse; each stream left a small crater on the granite floor. It was not an exaggerationto say that one hit was enough to put either one of them out of commission. 

Moving mechanically, the Mist-nins kept pace with their targets, taking pot shots at the Leaf Genin. 

Naruto frowned. The blonde had hoped for the Uchiha to at least close the gap of ability by bludgeoning the opposition with close quarters combat supported by him with jutsu from afar. Clearly, it was not working. The range that their arm-device had given them was proving to be decisive. Numerically, they were at a disadvantage, along with the presence of external factors such as the projectile weaponry that they possessed.

And of course, the most glaring factor of all was the lack of coordinated teamwork. 

Teamwork was something that he and the Uchiha used sparingly, though it usually depended on Sasuke's initiative to use it as a last resort. But Kakashi had evidently drilled it into their heads that teamwork was often the only tool in which two shinobi could defeat a stronger foe even though the Uchiha was loath to admit it. 

The gears in his mind quickly turned and a plan began to formulate. The deep soundless roar within his mind was quickly, but not completely, shoved back until it was only a whisper of promised destruction and power. 

( I I I )

Uchiha Sasuke was not a happy person at that moment. In fact, he was angry, and his ire encompassed many things at the moment: anger at the blasted Mist-nins who were toying with him; anger at Uzumaki Naruto for giving him the stupid medicine which had gotten them into this situation in the first place. 

And anger at himself for being weak enough to be injured. 

"What's wrong, Uchiha?" one of the Mist Genin sneered, voice garbled by the breathing mask's filter. "Is that all you can do? Dodge like a roach?"

His legs were sore from dodging the water-based projectiles that left _craters_ on the floor, but Sasuke was nothing if not persistent. If it had been any other opponent, Sasuke would have already rushed him, and engaged in close-combat, one of his finer areas (if he had anything to say about it).

But his opponent was, in effect, a team. 

Sasuke noticed that there was a delay between every shot from the thing on their arms and he sought to exploit that. However, even as he rushed one member of the group, the others would cover their teammate and soon enough, the one he was attacking was again at a fair distance away from him, his device ready to spew forth a stream of highly pressurized water at him. 

Gritting his teeth, his eyes found themselves upon the blonde who had gotten Sasuke into this in the first place. He'd rather stand fighting at the risk of dying than take no chances at all.

"_**Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu**_!"

He felt the heat of the fireball as it passed him, originating from the blonde who was positioned behind him. It was the first attempt of a counterattack that the boy did since the start of the match. 

The Mist-nins, not at all fazed by the sudden emergence of the swift ball of flame, merely went through their hand-seals quickly, bringing up their arms as they finished. Three torrents of water burst forth from their devices, encapsulating them in a wall of water (before fiery doom burned them to cinders. 

There was a great splash and sizzle as the fireball impacted against the liquid wall. The bright red fire of the technique was watered down to mere embers, superheated vapor rising. The wall of water remained for a second before it collapsed in a great wash, partially flooding the cratered 'arena' floor which was already wet from the previous soaking. Sasuke winced when some of the backsplash landed on him. It was scalding.

"Now," –he did not know which one of the three had spoke. Their hands were moving in sync. Not good— "you die."

'_Things,'_ he thought sarcastically, '_just got better_.' 

( I I I )

When he saw the Mist-nins, Narutofelt strangely attracted to the grey device on their arms. It was _his_ power that was coursing through it. 

Before, he could ignore the tingling voice in his head. 

Now, it was virtually impossible.

The water sang to Naruto, filling him with a feeling that was virtually alien to him. Yet at the same time it was intoxicating, though he did not know the reason why. But he did not need a reason. Before, he had not felt any such compulsion to the element. He was somehow connected to it in a way he had never thought was possible. 

Something that he would have described as 'anger' surged through his body, energizing him.

"You," one of the Mist-nins pointed to Sasuke, "die." Naruto frowned, watching as they began making seals. 

The water began move in a way that he recognized as naturally as if it was the simple act of breathing. Chakra was being gathered, weaving and latching onto the water as if it was a tool, calling out to the spirits beyond to take shape within the vessel that was water. A column of water began to build up, and Sasuke began to look anxious, but Naruto did not even notice his teammate's distress, choosing to focus on what only he could see. 

And then Naruto did the most obvious thing to do.

He answered in turn, hands moving swiftly.

"_**Suiton: Suiryuudan no jutsu**_," he whispered, hand seals finishing. 

Every puddle of water, unnoticedby everyone, began to bubble.

( I I I )

He could not use chakra. 

But that was all right.

He was equally proficient in the art of beating down his opponents.

Naruto, for all his faults, was really good at distracting people. The Mist-nins were now gaping at him, their attention fully focused on Naruto. Naruto's_Suiryuudan_ was smaller than the one they had made, and he could almost feel the smugness from their forms when they got over their shock that a Leaf-nin could use a fairly advanced Suiton technique. 

Of course, said smugness was completely gone when the "Neophyte" casually dispatched their jutsu without any problem. Naruto was not pulling any punches, sending his creation to separate the three Genin, who now barely glanced at him.

Normally, he would be offended that he was given so little attention. But common sense won out, despite that. Being unable to use your greatest weapon tends to do that to you. Still, on one hand, not being an object of attention had its perks, allowing him to strike when the time was ripe. It was this window of opportunity that he was waiting for, and he had no inclinationto waste it now. 

With that, Uchiha Sasuke found his target who was oblivious to his approach.

( I I I )

_Thump… _

_Thump… _

_Thump… _

_Thump…_

Naruto breathed and exhaled. At the moment, despite the chaos around him, he did not move from his spot, content to allow his opponents to see him. Some might consider him arrogant for not abiding by the most basic rule of being a shinobi, _Be Unseen_, but there was also something else that made him ignore so fundamental a rule. 

He was untouchable. 

The water apparition, tall and looming above him, was at his beck and call. It was like a snake, poised to react to any threat that came close to him. All the Suiton-based techniques they threw at him now merely added fuel to the construct, the very element base being assimilated into it. Feelings, the kinds unknown to his being, coursed through his body, leaving him energized as more jutsu were thrown into his summon. 

He waved a hand and the earth shuddered once more. 

( I I I )

"Wow," Asuma whistled, watching Naruto with something akin to amazement, "didn't know that Uzumaki was a_ Mizu_-adept." 

"Well," Kakashi murmured dryly, watching along with the rest of the shinobi on the second floor as the smaller of two jutsu apparitions decimated the larger one, the Mist-nin's splitting in twain, as the water dragon lunged in a downward stroke, "neither did I," he lied. 

"Heh," Gai beamed, teeth shown in a somewhat savage grin. "You should pay attention to your students more, my rival. Your other student seems to be quite good in the Art." 

"Not usually," Kakashi said, watching as Sasuke sent his opponent flying. "I suppose that ties up this part of the exam for my team." 

It wasn't long before the examiner declared the winner.

"Winner: Team Seven."

( I I I )

Yamanaka Ino was left slightly impressed by the amountof sheer control displayed by the blonde teammate of the hottest bachelor in Konoha. Of course, Sasuke was cooler than he was. 

Ino, being the inquisitive girl that she was, wasted no time in bouncing up to the two weary members of Team Seven the second they ascended back to the second floor. She was torn between the two acts of inquiring about the fate of her rival in love, Haruno Sakura, or 

congratulating Sasuke for his victory and then proceeding to proposition the Uchiha for a date. 

"Ano…Where's Fore-head girl?" Concern for her rival and once friend won out over her hormones. 

She could always proposition Sasuke later. 

The blonde whom she recognized as Uzumaki Naruto blinked. "…Fore-head girl?" he inquired curiously. Ino didn't know whether to be shocked at the boy's ignorance.

"Sakura," Ino huffed, somewhat impatiently. "I'm looking for her." 

"Oh, she's with the medic-nins now, Yamanaka-san." 

Ino shot him an odd look. No one had called her by her family name before, and it was weird to say the least. 

"Call me Ino," she said, "Yamanaka-san makes me sound old." And it was true, it did make her feel old. 'Yamanaka-san' was usually used to address her parents and she had no interest in being associated to them by age. It just wasn't her style.

She turned to the Uchiha, not noticing the rather weary look in his eyes. But before she could exact the details of her plan into reality, she felt a slight tap on her shoulder. Ino whirled behind to see the perpetrator, looking very annoyed as she locked sights with the strange, strange blonde. 

"Ino-san," the boy said, unflinching, "I believe your team is next."

( I I I )

"So, how do you think your team will fare, Asuma?" Kakashi asked the now smoking Jounin. "That's a filthy habit you know. Burns out your lungs." 

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Asuma muttered, disgruntled, as he took a puff, "you don't see me on a crusade against _your_ habits concerning those books of yours, now do you? Don't lecture me on mine." 

"Touché." 

Maito Gai added his two cents to the conversation. "Back to the question…do you think your team will do well?" 

"Hmm…" Asuma considered. "It depends; all three of them got great teamwork and the match system works in their favor this time. But…"

"What?" Kakashi drawled. 

The smoking Jounin frowned. "Their team dynamics in a combat situation are…frail. At best, and they are not strong enough to stand on their own once that shortcoming catches up with them."

"Well...we shall see, won't we?" The Copy-nin gestured to the ground floor. 

( I I I )

"How troublesome…"

Nara Shikamaru looked relatively annoyed, his mind running through the various scenarios that may happen during the match. 

The wide space was a disadvantage, in his opinion. There was very little in the way of subterfuge that could be applied, nor was it possible to use the environment to his advantage. In fact, the very environment in which this test, and to a lesser extent the second exam in general, was conducted indicated quite clearly that strength was the name of the game. 

He observed all the potential teams that could be pitted against them and found almost all of them could wipe the floor with his team. The team from Sound was possibly the best match-up they could get, ignoringany unexpected turn of events. 

'_Lucky us,'_ he thought.

"Second Match…begin," the sickly examiner coughed out. 

It did not take long for the fight to spiral down into a dismal disadvantage for them. 

He realized that, unlike and _like_ the group of Mist-nins that Team Seven had fought, the Sound-nins were aiming for the weakest member of his team, and they were using different tactics. 

"Neh, Shikamaru…" Chouji said, trying to slam a meaty arm into the totally covered Sound ninja. "You got any ideas?" 

"Not really," he replied, throwing a kunai at the Sound kuniochi. She dodged as he expected, and his Kagemane technique connected with her briefly. However he was forced to break off the technique when he felt something coming towards him. 

Shikamaru jumped to the side, barely avoiding the unseen force that barreled past him into the wall. His eye caught something off and he realized the threat for what it was. "Ino!" 

The girl turned but was too late, catching a punch to the gut which left her down for the count. 

Shikamaru's mind raced, not that it was the first time to do so. He wanted to yield so much for both himself and his team. And he would have if he was not experiencing the contradicting desire to _win_, to be the victor: to _control_. 

This unnatural urge was all that energized him now, giving him strength where there was none before. 

Plans ran through his mind for a different reason now. It used to be for the sheer pleasure of using his mind, but now he had the aggressiveness of a shark added to it. Each plan was methodical and precise, aiming for maximum effect and efficiency with minimum effort.

The process accelerated when he saw Chouji go down. 

Through the numerous plans and scenarios he envisioned, only one had any chance of success though it was a slim bet, seeing that he had to become what he had sacrificed the most in all of his games. 

The pawn. 

And like a pawn, he placed himself in the most vulnerable position he could imagine, all for the advantage he needed to pull his plan off. 

"Checkmate," he muttered to himself even as he felt blood pool in his mouth. 

( I I I )

The little Konoha ninja simplydarted from position to position across the 'arena' and back. The only obvious fruit of his labor was the battering he got when he did not manage to dodge the sonic attacks in time. 

Now they surrounded him like a pack of wolves around prey. 

"Heh, you're the only one left. You might as well yield now," the only girl of the group smirked at the battered boy before her. The pineapple-haired boy merely sported a shit-eating grin at her, sparking off her anger. Then something appeared on the ground. It was a black spot and from it, something emerged. She raised her arm to throw a kunai but found her arms immobile and rebellious to her mind. "What the hell is this!"

There was a 'line' of shadow that connected the boy to a thing, a shadow doppelganger of sorts, lacking any visible human features save for its humanoid shape. It was from this thing that three more 'lines' sprung off, each 'line' connecting to one immobilized Sound-nin. The doppelganger raised its arm before slamming it in its own head. All three ninjas caught in it mimicked the act though there was considerably more noise than not. 

"Argh!" 

"You bastard!"

"Kagemane no jutsu; success," the lazy ninja smiled easily. 

"Hey," the boy who knocked out Ino snarled, unaware of the situation he was in, "fight fair, you bastard!"

Shikamaru stared dispassionately at him. "You're _shinobi_, I'm a _shinobi_, and _shinobi_ don't fight fair," the pineapple-haired boy chided as if talking to a child. 

"Your petty parlor tricks won't last long." 

"That depends, seeing that you guys helped in my plan anyway." Shikamaru gestured to the broken lights on the first floor, creating a ring of thin shadow around all of them. It was then that they noticed the thin tendrils extending from the shadows to the black thing that controlled the Sound-nins like puppets.

The boy reddened. He knew there was something wrong when the other boy dodged around the room just to end up getting hit anyway, yet by 'coincidence' managed to avoid all his sonic blasts up until then, most of which happened to destroy the lights."You bastard!"

Shikamaru ignored him. "Do you yield or not?" He asked sleepily. 

"Over my dead body," The brash one replied, "You're going to run out of chakra anyway and when that happens…" The threat was clear, but the Nara simply accepted it as if it was mundane. 

"Fair enough," he said before turning to the examiner. "Can I use lethal force in this circumstance, examiner?" 

The three Sound ninja began to sweat.

The examiner gave the boy a look. "No fatalities; do it and you're disqualified from the entire exam." 

Shikamaru just nodded lazily, before snapping his fingers. The shadow doppelganger suddenly lurched forward, smashing its head to the granite floor. There were several loud cracks and shouts, and then silence. 

"Winner: Team Nine."

( I I I )

Asuma blinked, watching as the medical ninja transported the wounded from the arena on stretchers. "That was unexpected…" Shikamaru accompanied his unconscious team mates out. 

Gai whistled this time. "It seems like it's not only Kakashi's beloved students who are keeping a secret." 

"Looks like one of your team can stand up just fine on their own." Kakashi patted Asuma's shoulder, the latter still looking a bit shocked at the turn of events.

"Gai," Kakashi said, "it looks like your team is next." 

( I I I ) 

The Leaf-nins she and her brother were fighting proved to be a lot stronger than she gave them credit for. Of course, the weapon-maniac of a girl proved nearly useless against her; a pity, seeing that she was so out of her depth, what with facing a Fuuton user and all. She almost pitied Kankuro as the girl turned her deadly attentions towards him after noticing that Temari was not to be trifled with, thanks to her advantage. 

White eyes, or so she called the Hyuuga, was busy with her brother as well, making what appeared to be 'love-taps' on her brother's puppet. She almost laughed, but regained her composure as the third member of her opponent team presented himself to her. 

"Oh how fair you are, kunoichi-san," the spandex clad boy gushed, dodging one of the kunai she threw at him with apparent ease. She frowned. "May I get a name to address one as beautiful as yourself?" 

Temari did not know whether to be happy or aghast, much less how to reply to his question. Rock Lee, or so the bowl-haired boy identified himself as earlier, was someone she could definitely place as 'odd'. Consorting with an enemy kunoichi while your teammates were fighting certainly counted as odd in her opinion!

"I'm Subaku no Temari," she said, smiling slightly, her fan unfolded and ready for use. 

Lee grinned at her, his pearly whites almost blinding her before he started to speak again. "I'm Rock Lee, the Beautiful Green Beast of Konoha!" The blonde blinked for a second, not knowing whether to gape or just send the poor fool flying. 

She settled for the latter. 

Lee gaped in surprise as he was thrown across the floor by the gale. For a moment, she thought she heard an estranged cry of "LEE!" originating from the second floor. 

"Temari!" her firstlittle brother shouted. "A little help here would be nice!" She saw him dodge something which resembled a giant meat cleaver. It seems that the girl was venting her frustration on dear old Kankuro. Poor him. "It would be VERY nice!"

Temari grunted, and with a swing, a gale-force wind swept forward. 

What she hadn't accounted for was the off-chance that Kankuro would be caught in the blast. Which proceeded tohappen. 

Oops.

( I I I )

Gaara frowned. His siblings had lost. He tried to process that fact. While they were not as strong as he was, it was not often that they encountered opposition that they could lose to. The boy felt…pleased, though it did not reflect on his face. It just meant that there were more people worthy to prove his existence. 

In the end, Subaku no Gaara, impatient and annoyed that he did not get to face the strange blonde as he had been desiring since the time they first met, faced his opponents, the teammates of one Yakushi Kabuto.

It was a short match, one marred by futility and brutality. 

( I I I ) 

All this while the Hokage of the Hidden Village of Konoha watched as the next generation of his village battled. He had to say, it was interesting to say the least. He would have to keep an eye on young Uzumaki and Nara. 

Seeing the last of the matches end, the decidedly old man walked up to the podium.

"So ends the preliminaries…" he began, "All of you who are standing here now, flush from victory, have a month to prepare before the third and last part of the Chuunin Exam will begin. It will be your moment of glory for all of the people to see, for your village to see. Train hard and fight with honor, and best of luck to you all."

* * *

A/N: Beta-ed this time by the wonderful Itallia. I can't believe the story finally has a thousand reviews and a hundred thousand words in total. It's almost surreal. R&R please and constructive criticism is well received.


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